My Own Worst Enemy
by FireStorm1991
Summary: Sequel to The Demon Journal. Sometimes a remark is just that, but in the case of Kaili's husband there is always meaning in things he has said. He had darted the question for years adding only mystery to words he had spoken in the past. Thinking his wife had given up pursuit was one mistake. Not warning her about potential danger was worse.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters. I only own my OC and the bizarre plot you're about to indulge in ^^**

 **Wow, okay, I just need a moment to process that I'm ACTUALLY working on the sequel to** **The Demon Journal** **! I've been waiting for this moment since the first time I had Kurama alluding to stuff about his past that he wouldn't further discuss, acknowledging it as being unimportant or just saying nothing at all. In any case…here we are! Finally! I had hoped to start this back in the summer, but hey, that's okay. After all, part of the delay was planning, and part of it was editing TDJ (the 2011 to 2018 gap is pretty big and my writing changed immensely since the beginning of my writing days). Better late than never!**

 **Before we start, I couldn't respond to the most recent (back in August) guest review on TDJ. To kraison black, if you're reading this, I'm glad you enjoyed the story, and I hope you can find your way to this one. I actually had started the story back in 2011 and finished it in 2018, so I am definitely still around. I do make it a point to read all the reviews and at least try to respond to them (with guest reviewers, especially on a completed story, it's a bit harder). Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing, and I hope you get a chance to read this one as well.**

 **Okay, I'm really excited about this. ONWARD!**

* * *

Backstage, pacing back and forth, Kaili tried to take a deep breath to center herself. All of this was completely new to her, and soon she would become a public face. A chuckle alerted her, her eyes traveling over to her husband, a warm smile on his face as he leaned against a table of food. He pushed himself up, walking over to his wife and entrapping her in his arms.

"There's no reason to be nervous," he whispered fondly in her ear. "You're going to be great."

Kaili grimaced and shook her head. "You don't know that. I can choke. Why did I ever agree to this?"

Kurama tried not to find amusement in the woman's plight, but it was impossible. Shortly after Kaili had sent her book to an editor, she and Shuichi had married, right before graduation. It led to less judgement from the school and their classmates. The babies were born shortly after, their beautiful twins, Souta and Hana. It had been one of the happiest days in the parents' lives.

Souta resembled Kurama greatly, save the color of his hair. His pointed features, including striking green eyes with flecks of gold inside, and brownish-red hair like that of his Uncle Chris's made the child stand out. From day one, Kurama knew he'd have to watch over this boy. After all, he was a highly aware baby, and though he didn't talk, Kurama knew he was the one behind the twins' delayed birth.

Hana was a beautiful as her mother, with beautiful brown hair and seafoam green eyes. She was like any other baby out there, but she also had a serenity about her. It was rare when she cried, something that the parents were thankful. She adored all her family members and their friends, and she was always going over to try to get her fairly stoic older brother to crack a grin. Sometimes, she managed. Their daughter was just too precious.

During that time, Kaili's book was published. _The Demon Journal_ had become a popular, overnight best-seller. The woman tried to remain hidden in the shadows, but it was difficult. Despite only using her first initial, K. Minamino was well-known thanks to Hatanaka's business. Kurama had joined Hatanaka at his corporation, becoming quite the businessman. His tactics and strategies as Youko actually helped his stepfather acquired more business, though Kurama was for more honest than he had been back in the day, yet still just as cutthroat. His shrewd ability to read people and his daring ways became an asset for the company. He had made a name for himself, and of course that meant he went to many gatherings with his wife. It didn't take people long to connect that Kaili, the wife of Shuichi Minamino, was the author of everyone's favorite read. Honestly, the only reason she agreed to an interview was because one of the businessmen owned the television station.

She had never been on interview before, though she had done the occasional book signing. There wasn't much more they needed to do. Between the profits from her book and Kurama's status at the company, they were fairly wealthy, giving when they could to charities and raising their children not to be greedy as their father once had been (Kurama had insisted on that lesson from the very beginning). Still, the children wanted for nothing, receiving love and affection from their parents as they aged. They were happy, healthy, and had food and a beautiful home. There was not much more the family could want than that.

Of course, almost ten years had passed since their somewhat humble beginnings.

"And now, we're going to talk with the lovely author of _The Demon Journal_ herself," the spokeswoman declared. "Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Kaili Minamino!"

Loud applause can be heard, and Kaili tensed in Kurama's arms, looking up to her mate with deer-in-headlights eyes. The redhead chuckled and shook his head at her ridiculousness. This woman had seen hellish things in her teenaged years, and yet _this_ made her paralyzed with fear. "You're on. Don't worry; I'll be right here."

Kaili relaxed and smiled before taking a deep breath. She made her way to the stage quickly.

* * *

Out on the stage, the anchorwoman bantered with Kaili a bit, making the woman feel a bit more comfortable before the interview started. Once Kaili relaxed, the big questions started coming out. Mainly, they wanted to know where the girl was from, what her home life was like, and where she had ever gotten the inspiration for such an enthralling story.

"Well, I grew up in Italy," Kaili explained simply. "Of course, home life for me was complicated, as it is with most families nowadays. My mother had move me and my brother here to Japan, and I went to Meiou High School, which is where I met my first boyfriend and my loving husband, Shuichi."

"That's so sweet," the woman praised, a kind smile on her face. "Now, about the inspiration… Everyone has been wondering this for the past few years, but did you get your ideas from the increase in demon activity the people have been complaining over since the last five years?"

Kaili mentally laughed at that. Her book hadn't been published for five years since its submission, and honestly the integration of demons in Human World society had been happening since then. Of course, no one knew what went into all of the politics as she had. They had no idea that her book was more like a memoir, an actual historical account on how the last five years came to be. It all started ten years prior.

"Actually," Kaili responded, "I started writing _The Demon Journal_ when I was in high school, so that material was completely unrelated to the recent reports." Well, not completely unrelated, but still…

Kurama was waiting for her backstage, leaning against the wall, listening intently and finding amusement in the little white lies Kaili told. She had certainly come a long way since the day he first met her. Honestly, lying still was not in her nature, but she didn't feel immense guilt or trepidation over keeping his secrets from his family or slightly misleading society as she was doing now. Some more questions were asked, like the inspiration of the names, and Kurama nearly paled when she said the name idea came from her husband.

What she added, though, calmed him. She merely stated that it was the initials of their names that inspired Sadie's and Kurama's names, "K" for Kaili and "S" for Shuichi. Surprisingly, that was something Kurama had never noticed when reading her story. His wife was surely a wily one, especially when she cast him that knowing smile when she came back after the interview. She knew she had made him sweat.

He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on coolly and approached her, a loving smile on his face. "So, how'd I do?" she had asked him.

"It was perfect," he assured her. "Nice save on the truth, my chiisai ran. Your book, after all, was inspired by our past which did lead to these increased sightings."

Kaili grinned asking him how the guys were since he had come from his other job, one his family save Kaili, their children, and, surprisingly, Chris, did not know. Once humans were aware that demons walked among them, they grew fearful and judged the demons even though most had yet to cause any trouble. After all, King Enki had outlawed evil towards humankind. These integrating demons were just trying to coexist, and yet humans were the ones trying to frame them causing Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama to open a detective agency of sorts.

It all started a month after Yusuke returned from Demon World. There was a start of the sightings, demons entering Human World freely. Despite the fact that full integration didn't start until five years later, this was the very beginning. Yusuke owned a food cart, a ramen stand, a very popular one at that. Who knew behind that bad boy, reckless attitude, there was a culinary genius? Even his mother was surprised, and she became one of his most loyal patrons.

His ramen stand was a front from his "problem solving" business. He used the skills he acquired from Spirit World and his days as a spirit detective so that he could handle any spiritual or demonic matters. After all, he was the catalyst for this change, and he wanted to make sure everything ran smoothly. One day, Keiko visited him, the woman becoming a teacher at her all-girls' high school. There were students complaining about a haunted room, and she wanted Yusuke to check it out.

There were random footprints that appeared and the girls were terrified, but Yusuke hadn't sensed any demonic energy at all. After he declared this, everything went crazy. The girls claimed to be grabbed and prints appeared everywhere. Keiko asked Yusuke if he was certain it wasn't a demon. That's when he decided to call on Kurama for assistance. Even he agreed it wasn't a demon. After all, Yusuke didn't sense any inkling of demon energy whatsoever, and it was not something he would miss. Whoever the prankster had to be, he or she was human.

It turned out to be one of the girls all along with the help of her volleyball friends. With the slight increase in demonic energy, those with spiritual awareness detected it. The girl was no exception, and so to rid of her roommate/teammate, she frightened the girl away. Well, Yusuke and Kurama set a trap for her, a real demon terrifying her. She would never do that again.

Surprisingly enough, this wasn't the only time something like that happened. As the years went on, humans did not want demons walking among them. They would frame beings who became their neighbors in more gruesome and sadistic ways. Some of these demons now had human families and offspring, and they were being put on trial for crimes they did not commit. It sickened Yusuke and Kurama, and even Kuwabara was getting irritated. By day, they'd have their normal day jobs, the food cart, Hatanaka's business, and Kuwabara becoming a doctor. By night, after Yusuke closed down the fort, they were out there protecting the balance between the three worlds, bringing the true culprits to justice. Old habits really did die hard. Because of their services, they kept a close relationship with Spirit World.

* * *

"Mama, papa!" Hana cried when the couple walked through the door. She practically charged at her parents, nearly knocking her mother down. A bright, beaming smile flashed over her face.

"Hey, baby," Kaili greeted warmly, lifting her daughter into her arms. "Were you and your brother good for grandma?"

"They were," Kaili's mother's voice rang. The older woman walked out from the living room, moving to give her daughter and son-in-law hugs.

"Sophia," Kurama greeted. "I thought you and Sebastian were leaving town today."

"We are," Sophia replied, "but he has some business to take care of at the office, and they promised if he did that they would leave us alone while we're on our trip."

 _Ah, their trip,_ Kaili thought, quietly reminiscing over how her family had changed over the years. After so many years, her parents had been happier, her father never relapsing to his horrid past persona. Surprisingly, she and Shuichi had become very close with her parents. Sebastian had been so welcoming to Kurama, and it was easy for the former demon thief to be around those who knew of his identity. They spent some of the holidays with her parents and Chris, Chris and Shuichi becoming even closer since the beginning. As for her parents, they had been thankful to Shuichi for what they had done for the family. About a year earlier, Sebastian and Sophia Lattanzi remarried. It was a small ceremony, much like Kurama's mother's wedding. Only family and close friends were invited, including the spirit detective gang. Kaili and Shuichi would always be close to their friends, all of them becoming aunts and uncles to their kids. Kaili still kept her father at a slight arm's length, but their relationship had improved immensely as well. There were stil times she couldn't get past the hateful feelings he once held towards her and her mate.

Anyway, Kaili's father had taken up an honest living, using the business skills he acquired much like Kurama had. He was a supervisor at one of Hatanaka's sister companies, and he did well there. Since he had started a new career, though, the couple had not been able to have their honeymoon. They were finally going to get some well-deserved time together.

Sophia turned to her daughter and grinned. "I saw the interview. You were wonderful, Kaili."

Kaili blushed over the praise, mumbling a quiet, "Thanks, mom."

"Christopher told me he was coming over tonight," the mother continued. "I wish your father and I could celebrate with you."

"That's all right, mom," Kaili assured her. "You and dad deserve this. Besides, this wasn't _that_ big of a deal. You guys were there for the party Yusuke and Keiko threw when the book actually got published."

"Fair enough," Sophia agreed, before her attention turned to her granddaughter. "I love you, sweetie. I'll see you when we get back."

"Okay, Nanny!" Hana chimed happily before running off to occupy herself. That's when Sophia's expression darkened and Kurama asked her the question on his mind.

"Where is Souta?"

Sophia's worried eyes met her son-in-law's. "Honestly, I don't understand it," she explained. "Earlier today, we were watching their favorite show, and then his expression grew dark and cold. I've never seen that look on his face, and it worried me. When I asked him what was wrong, he very plainly told me it was nothing, and then he's been holed up in his room ever since. Hana didn't seem bothered, but I am. I really hope nothing is wrong."

"He may have had a premonition," Kaili told her mother. She looked to her husband. "You should go and talk to him. He discusses those with you more than me." Kurama nodded and took for his son's room. Kaili set her sights on her mother and smiled, hoping to change the subject, saying, "So, about your honeymoon…"

* * *

Kurama stood outside of his son's room, his gaze hardened and stoic. Souta, as he grew older, proved to him and Kaili that the boy had very strong spiritual awareness and even some demon energy. Like his father, he could control plants. He also had strong premonitions. Hana got them too, but not as often or as fiercely as her brother. It was like Souta could sense the happenings of Demon World, and that worried Kurama greatly. The little girl, Souta admitted, was the one having the premonitions _in utero_ , and it alerted him to use his demonic aura to delay their growth and keep them safe. They could communicate through a mental link that they still had as children, although Hana did not remember anything from their time before the birth where Souta retained his memories.

Both children were intelligent, though Souta was cold and calculating as Kurama was, though he did still secretly enjoy being babied by his mother and grandmothers. Hana was the friendly and outgoing one of the bunch and very studious. Still, she was reserved around strangers who approached her, having a certain distrust that she was too young to understand.

The first year of the twins' life, where Kurama and Kaili were still in high school, had been challenging. Balancing being parents, students, and such, they had gotten married when they both had turned eighteen. At first, the school as a whole was not as supportive of the teenagers, Kaili pregnant at sixteen, thinking them to still be immature children. Certain teachers, though, were very understand and could see just how mature the teenagers were to handle all of the stress together. They went easy on them at times.

Their wedding was wonderful, a very happy memory. It was when they children turned two, and Hana was now highly aware of what was happening. Their little ones were already talking. Then Kurama had attended college and taken that desk job at Hatanaka's company. Eventually, every employee could see Kurama's merciless demeanor and sneaky yet beneficial business pitches, how convincing he could be. He wasn't malicious, but he knew how to work people. Everyone convinced Hatanaka to make him his vice president, and his stepfather didn't take much convincing.

Kurama still hadn't told anyone in his family about his true identity and past, but Kaili's family and their children knew the truth. At times, especially when the second Demon World Tournament took place, the Lattanzis covered for them. Souta and Hana didn't understand why their father kept so many secrets. It led to a strange balance of trust and distrust between the two men. It was why Souta would tell Kurama all about his premonitions, yet he would only go to Kaili for everything else. Kurama tried to be as honest with his son as possible, and as he aged and matured, there was more understanding for why Kurama did the things he did. Their relationship was improving each and every day.

"Souta," he called into the room.

Moments later, green eyes peered back at him as Souta opened the door, his eyes filled with worry and fear, but his expression completely expressionless. "Father."

"Another premonition?" Kurama asked, cutting straight to the point. He saw his son flinch, the emotions flickering across his face before the boy sighed and stepped away from the door. The fox demon entered, eyeing his son's room. He kept it so neat and tidy, unlike his sister's room which was a disaster area filled with toys and Legos. "Talk to me."

Souta sat in his desk chair, his father sitting at the foot of his bed. The nine year old nodded, a frown marring his features. "I felt something," he admitted to the man. "It was an energy, familiar yet not at the same time."

Kurama's mind immediately flashed to his old thieving partner. "Is it Yomi?"

Souta shook his head. "I mean, he's involved somehow, too. I know I never met him, but he was the one my premonition was about last time, right?"

Yomi was. Back at the second DWT, Yomi had tried to make an attempt on Mukuro's life in the round where they fought. It wasn't illegal to kill an opponent, but his reasons were simple. His old partner had never fully given up hope of "unifying" Demon World. Mukuro rather enjoyed the peaceful rule and planned to keep the laws from Enki's reign alive. The last opponent would be Yusuke, and if Yomi had killed Mukuro, he would have ended up being the new ruler. Of course, Mukuro was prepared, and she blocked Yomi's attack. Yusuke then fought the woman until he was exhausted, and the half-human bowed out gracefully, looking forward to her three year rule.

Of course, Souta had sensed something were to happen, and he called his father to warn him. Kurama had seen the docket. He warned Mukuro about Yomi's plan, and the woman took his warning to heart. She could have been ill-prepared otherwise. With Yusuke already weakened from his skirmish with Hiei, he would have done no good against Yomi who was out for the crown and not looking for a friendly spar. Mukuro at least wouldn't do lasting damage to Yusuke having grown rather fond of Raizen's heir.

"Yes," Kurama reminded him. "You're saying it's another energy?"

Souta nodded. "It…it feels like you," he said, making Kurama's heart stop in his chest for a moment. "But, at the same time it's not you…not even Youko. Just…someone…someone close. I don't know what to make of it."

But Kurama did, and it was the last thing he wanted to hear. There was only one way to interpret his son's premonition. _It can't be…_

"I wouldn't worry about it," he lied, his son looking completely perplexed. "I'm sure it has to do with the tournament, as always." He forced a smile, the light now fully sparking in his emerald eyes. "I must say, it's odd when your own son knows what's going to happen before you do."

Souta was about to retort with something sarcastic when they heard Chris's voice downstairs. It was then that Kurama told his son again not to focus on the premonition. Tonight was about his mother, Souta's gaze softening. The two went down to meet everyone, and a nice dinner was had by all.

And through it all, Kurama could not get his son's words out of his head.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Demon World, Yomi could be found in his study, glowering at the flames in his fireplace. He was not at all thrilled by the peace that was now holding the three worlds together. His former followers had all defected leaving only a few demons who still remained loyal to the cause. Even Mukuro had decided to support this horrific idea.

It was ridiculous that demons and humans were actually coexisting. Yes, there were stills some difficulties with the humans accepting the integration, but it had still happened. The unification he once craved for Demon World seemed like a dream getting further and further away.

"What do you plan to do?" his advisor, Youda, asked him.

"I'll figure it out in due time," Yomi stated. He would, and he would start with those who betrayed him.

Youda grew dark and serious, saying, "I understand perfectly, sir."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters. Just my OCs.**

 **What's this? Another chapter so soon? Hooray XD Haha, in all seriously, I was just really excited to get this story underway, and what perfect time then October, the month of Halloween. Let's see how much I can get done in a month.**

 **On another note, thank you to all of you who are reading, reviewing, adding to favorites, or following. I really appreciate the support. I also try to make sure I acknowledge reviews from and questions asked by my guest reviewers, so hi Patrica Legrand. Thank you for the review. This is a multi-chapter fic, so I will definitely be adding more. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. I'm not sure if I've read many stories like what you're looking for. You can always try to search for key words in the FFN search bar. Anyway, I wish you luck, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Thanks again!**

* * *

A few days passed, and Kurama could not easily dismiss Souta's premonition. His son returned to his slightly childish self after getting the feeling out in the open. It did little to quell the uncharacteristic rage, fear, and concern that had settled into Kurama's soul.

"So, fox, why did you summon me here?"

Kurama turned to regard his friend and former partner in crime, Hiei. As much as Kurama wanted to grin and respond with something witty, his mind was all business, and he was not in the mood for his usually foolhardiness. "I need to talk to someone about a premonition my son had," Kurama admitted, "something that not even I could have calculated."

"Something from the past?" Hiei guessed. Kurama nodded in confirmation. "Well, that explains why you aren't saying anything to your mate."

No, no, he couldn't. For years, Kaili had tried to understand that part of his past he kept hidden from her. She asked him various times in their high school days about his "brother comment" that Botan had exposed. He had darted the question for years adding only mystery to words he had spoken in the past. Kaili had seemingly given up once the children started learning about his past. Maybe she thought it best that none of them knew. Either way, Kurama believed it to be handled. His son's premonition did not leave him feeling settled.

"Does it have anything to do with that blasted brother remark that the ferry girl asks me about _every time_ we're together?"

Kurama was surprised, but not by the fact that Hiei had been spending time with Botan. After all they had been through, Kurama had seen inklings between the two, ever since the end of the Dark Tournament. Kaili had noticed it, also. The couple had a bet going on to see who would make the first move. So far, Hiei and Botan only spent some time together, mainly at the gatherings their old team had or at Spirit World and Demon World events and celebrations. The worlds were still getting used to being open to one another, but the fire demon admitted to Kurama a few months back that he was starting to understand what Kurama said he would one day understand, that feeling to put one's life on the line for another. Hiei had done just that when Koenma sent Botan to help aid against some rebellious Demon World sects.

"The third Demon World Tournament is just around the corner," Hiei reminded him. "Are you sure it isn't just that?"

"I'm not sure of anything anymore," Kurama explained. "That is why I contacted you. I know that with the Jagan you can locate anyone."

"Provided they aren't surrounded by talismans," Hiei scoffed bitterly, remembering the time he couldn't find Yukina. "What or who am I looking for?"

This was it, the first time Kurama was going to tell someone from his new life about his old one. He felt like his insides were twisting, but this couldn't be helped. He needed to know what to expect. "His name is Tetsuki. He's a spirit fox, like me. He is also my twin brother."

Hiei's eyes widened, the normal stoic façade disappearing. "What?" he asked darkly, needing to hear the fox demon repeat himself. Since when did he have a brother?

"It was a long time ago, almost three millennia when we were born to a fox spirit," Kurama explained. "She died birthing us, and the man who raised me and him was the leader of a powerful spirit fox clan."

The fire demon scoffed. "So, you're royalty. Why am I not surprised?"

Kurama nearly laughed at the quip, but honestly he was still in a dark mood. "That bastard preferred me over Tetsuki. We were as different as night and day, literally in our coloring and in our personalities. I was emotionless and calculating. Tetsuki did not bother hiding his disturbing personality and desires. He was rash; I was cautious. It naturally led for our father to choose me to take over the clan for him."

"And you didn't want that."

"No, I didn't," Kurama agreed. "I hated that man and his training. He was a slave driver, and ruthless. I was the same, but I just did not want to be a ruler, tied down. The people feared my strength, anyway, and so I left. My coloring, my drive and desire to get away from the pack, I was everything they stood against. But it didn't mean that my father was willing to pass the torch to Tetsuki.

"Tetsuki was a sadistic bastard himself," Kurama continued. "If I had to describe his personality, I'd say that fighting Karasu reminded me of him. The way he spoke, his threats, the pleasure he got from causing another pain…"

Hiei grimaced and shook his head. "So, you two were far from close."

"I was the older one," Kurama uttered, barely acknowledging Hiei's remark. "My father favored be despite my differences from out people. Tetsuki, though, wanted to be accepted as a ruler, but his behavior was not that off a leader. He didn't care about the other spirit foxes, and he would have killed them all himself if it meant furthering his power."

He turned his gaze to Hiei's as the fire demon processed the information. "When I decided to leave, my father had agreed with the people to shun me, and I was happy to leave and begin my own journey, to find my own place in Demon World, but when the man died, _I_ was the one to inherit the pack, not Tetsuki. I wouldn't have even known had Tetsuki not come for me."

"Idiot," Hiei growled. "Why bother coming for you if he wanted to rule himself?"

"He wouldn't have been able to take over," Kurama explained. "You see, the other fox spirits would not accept Tetsuki as their leader, not unless he brought me back and challenged more or brought back proof that he killed me. As Youko, I ended up killing my brother in self-defense, never looking back. I never expected…"

"We don't know if he's alive, fox," Hiei reminded him. "This is all just speculation. If he's dead or alive, I will find him." The Jagan glowed under his bandana. "I'll also contact the ferry girl to see if she can find any information on her end."

Amusement flickered in Kurama's eyes as he smiled, the relief seeping into him at having finally confided the truth in someone. "I doubt she'd have the clearance."

Hiei smirked and snickered. "Hn, you think that'll stop her? She was the one who got Koenma to let me off."

"True," Kurama agreed before an idea struck him. "I don't want my family to know, not until we know something concrete."

"She may be a blabbermouth, but I know how to keep her quiet."

"Threatening a woman you're pursuing is counterproductive."

Hiei's eyes filled with fury as he glared at his comrade. "I'm not-" He stopped when he saw Kurama's grin. "Whatever. We'll keep your precious secret. Still, even if he is dead, keeping this secret will only come back to bite you."

"Really?" Kurama challenged, crossing his arms. "And how is Yukina these days?"

Another growl escaped Hiei's lips. "Insufferable fox." And with that, the fire demon was gone, and the heaviness returned to Kurama. He really hoped that he was wrong, that this was nothing, but he couldn't be sure. There was one thing that he was completely certain. He never wanted to burden his wife and family with the knowledge of his past life. There was no reason for them to know the childhood he suffered or the reason family meant so much to him. He would take this secret to his grave if he could. He just needed Hiei to confirm what he already knew to be true.

If only his gut wasn't challenging his logic.

* * *

Kaili was in her room combing out her long, brown hair. Over the years, she had let it grow out, a style her mate liked very much. A knock on the door alerted her, and she went to answer, seeing her two kids standing in front of her. They both had a look on their face, and she bit back a smile knowing what they were going to say.

"Mom, I think we're coming down with something," Souta stoically said, his eyes looking glossy. "We don't feel good."

"Really," Kaili replied knowingly. "You were fine this morning. This wouldn't have anything to do with fall break ending, now would it?"

Hana's widening eyes gave them away, but Souta still tried to keep the ruse going. "We must have had a bad lunch."

"At your Uncle Yusuke's ramen cart?" Kaili challenged, hands on her hips. "Try again."

"I don't think this is working," Hana whispered quite loudly to Souta who shushed her and then looked to his mother.

"Now, now," Kaili said, walking over to the two, "I know you guys want to stay home sometimes, but school is important. Besides, you can't fool me. I know every trick in the book." Of course, she wouldn't tell her kids that she used to fake sick all the time when they moved to Japan to avoid going to school. "Is something else bothering you?"

Souta's eyes shifted, and his gaze remained on a spot on the ground. Hana was the one who looked truly horrified. "We both had premonitions again," Hana explained. "Souta thinks his was about the tournament. I don't know what mine means."

Kaili smoothed out her daughter's hair and pulled the child into a tight hug. "It's okay, baby. I understand. All of it most likely has to do with the tournament, just like last time. Before you were both born, you were aware of the impending war in Demon World. I think you're both just attuned to those types of issues, and I wish I could take that fear and uncertainty away from you."

Souta refused to meet his mother's gaze, unable to get the feeling of that other, malevolent energy out of his mind. One of the things he failed to mention to his father was just how evil and menacing the other presence seemed. _It's more than just the tournament,_ the boy thought with reluctance. _I know it._

"The two of you just need to remember that everything will work itself out," Kaili assured them, "and going to school will also be a good distraction. Besides, don't you want to see Rin and Aisu?" The two lit up at the names of their friends.

Rin and Aisu were also twins, like her children, and they were the children of their Uncle Kuwabara and Auntie Yukina. After many, _many_ years, Yukina had finally learned what Kuwabara had been trying to tell her all of those years from the moment he rescued her. She had always felt a connection to the human psychic, but she hadn't understood her own emotions. Living in human world and seeing all of their friends together had taught Yukina about herself, as did the girl talk she experienced with Kaili, Keiko, Shizuru, and Botan. Eventually, she and Kuwabara had married, displeasing Hiei greatly. The fire demon still had yet to tell his sister who he was, but at least he had started coming around more, if only to keep Kuwabara's "idiocy" from rubbing off on his niece and nephew.

"Anyway, you should both wash up," Kaili instructed. "Your father will be home soon, and Uncle Chris is coming for dinner again."

The twins' expressions lit up, and it made Kaili beam with pride and love as she sent them off. A happy sigh escaped her before she thought back to Demon World affairs. She tried not to let it bother her. After all, she chose to be with Shuichi despite his other life. There was no way it wouldn't infiltrate their home in some way, and it left Kaili feeling a bit worried and uncertain.

It was part of the reason Chris was coming over again. Kaili had rehashed her concerns and worried to her husband many times already, and she didn't want to be a broken record. He had done so much to give her and their children a good life in both living a normal, everyday life, and then preventing Yomi from destroying the peace that flowed through all three worlds. She was proud of her mate and loved him more than she ever thought she could love anyone aside from their twins. Still, all of that wasn't enough to put her mind at ease.

Since spiritual awareness had skyrocketed over the near decade, many trauma therapists were taking on patients who had experienced any part of that world. Chris had found a good and sincere therapist, one that was Spirit World recommended, to help him with memories of the Sensui case, the scenes he heard from the Chapter Black tape creeping into his dreams. Kaili, likewise, had been suffering from nightmares since even before then. The Dark Tournament had been too intense for her teenaged mind, and, though she spoke with all of her friends about it, there was so much she couldn't get past.

Chris told his therapist about her, and the man was willing to take her on as a patient. Her brother was bringing the information that night before her mate returned home from work. Honestly, she didn't want Shuichi to worry, so she didn't plan to tell him about her potential therapy sessions. She knew he'd be supportive, but he would always ask her questions. With their children already a bit spooked, she didn't want them to hear anything else that was terribly trying. It was bad enough Souta was as distrustful as he was, even of his own parents. At least it didn't affect him from being a child when he could. Their uncle, thankfully, brought that side out in him more often than not, mainly because he could relate to the child.

* * *

Dinner was lovely, filled with mundane chitchat, and Kaili felt blessed to see her family together. "So, how are mom and dad fairing?"

"They're having a blast in America," Chris stated. "I don't think I've ever heard mom this excited."

Kurama smiled at that, still mentally preening that he had been able to help the family get back on track somehow. "And you? How is work?"

Chris flashed his brother-in-law a thumbs up. "It's been going great at the center," he told him. "I've got a great group of kids, all hoping for a change."

Kaili beamed at her brother. After he graduated high school, he had decided that he wanted to be a mentor at the local community center, and after some time he began running the anger management courses. It really helped him, being surrounded by people who only wanted positivity to shine through. His old therapist had wanted him to get his anger out through physical means, and that had backfired. Taking control of his anger through mediation and other exercises helped him immensely. There were even times that Chris and Shuichi disappeared for a day to Genkai's to work on energy control. It was there way of bonding after everything that happened.

After dinner, the three adults adjourned to the living room, watching the twins run around happily and chuckling at their antics. Kaili was curled up against Shuichi on the couch, just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. It was then that the kids started partaking in the conversation, wanting to hear familiar stories of the past. Their curiosity and desire for adventure always left Kaili a bit unnerved. It didn't help so much when Chris joined in, the persistence in the room unanimous.

The children wanted to hear about life before, how Kaili and Kurama had come together.

"You know, even I don't know the answer to that," Chris complained, "and I was there! What gives, Kai?"

"Um, hello, you're my brother," she stated matter-of-factly. "Little sisters don't talk to their older brothers about that stuff on a good day."

Chris's expression softened, hearing her hidden meaning. "Yeah, I get ya. So?"

A sigh escaped Kaili as she looked to her husband with a sheepish smile. He didn't seem bothered by the idea of sharing, nodding to her to just get it over with. "Well, alright," the woman replied, motioning for her kids to join her and Shuichi on the couch. "It all started one day back in high school," she began. "I wasn't really a people person, and I had done a good job of keeping away from others. Well, one week I was sick." Chris was coughing away his laughter, knowing that Kaili was trying to keep her kids from finding out that little detail. Shuichi chuckled at her side, all the adults receiving to sets of confused stares.

"Anyway," she continued, "when I was better, I went back to school, and I found someone sitting in the back where I always sat alone. At first I was furious, and it was even worse when I realized he was in all of the same classes as me."

"Your mother did not want the company, but she tolerated me," Kurama picked up, earning his children's attention. "Rumors went around the school about how she believed in demons and the like. Of course, I found that interesting, wondering if it was spiritual awareness or just a belief. I could sense an inkling of energy, and I knew if I could sense it, other demons would too."

"Your father basically demanded to walk me home that day," Kaili reminisced. "Well, first he asked, and I said 'no,' and then he grew stern and serious, like how he gets when he's in a spar or fight."

All of a sudden, Chris broke out in raucous laughter. "Oh, man, Kai…what's wrong with you, going with him when he acted like that?"

Kurama narrowed his eyes at his brother-in-law, but he was also curious by what Kaili would say so he remained silent. "I didn't see any harm," she admitted. "I did, however, keep my silent alarm handy, just in case, but I didn't think much of Shuichi at the time…not until I witnessed him killing another demon in an alleyway." She then paused in her storytelling and looked to her mare. "Seriously, what was that back then? Old enemy?"

A shake of his head was her answer. "It was a low level demon, most likely one going after you from sensing your spirit energy," he explained, baffling his wife. "I needed to make sure it would not harm you."

She blushed when she realized that even back then, her Shuichi was trying to protect her from his world, and that was before he even really knew her. Though she had been upset with him many time over the years for not trusting her with information or treating her like she wasn't strong enough to handle herself, as a more mature adult, it just melted her heart to know how much he truly cared for her from the moment they met. His words from that day rang in her head. _"I care because I find you interesting. I like you, and I find you interesting."_

"That was around the time I started my book," she told the kids. "My main character, Sadie, was being walked home by a mystery boy I intended to be a demon even before I knew your father was one. When I realized the stress of the day was molding my story, I decided to go for a walk, and that was when I witnessed you father defeating that low level demon."

"I was still in the mindset for battle, and I terrified your mother," Kurama said with a laugh, both twins smiling at him. They could really see the love between their parents as they spoke of the old days. "But I assured her she had nothing to worry about, and I meant it." He glanced over at his wife to see her sheepish grin. "Of course, I did also slightly threaten her not to tell anyone what she saw."

Kaili snorted a laugh. "Yeah, like anyone would have believed me," she griped. "In any case, your father was persistent when it came to pursuing me."

"From day one, I liked your mother," he stated simply. It was the truth, though it went much deeper than that. Kurama had told himself, from the start, that he would never let the woman cloud his judgement, but he realized early on that it had been a losing battle. From the moment he saw her in class that day, she had ingrained herself into his mind and soul. He hardly had a chance when it came to his brown-haired, blue-eyed beauty.

"Did Uncle Chris like you, daddy?" Hana asked innocently. Souta noticed the secretive glances his uncle and father casted towards each other.

"Honestly, I wasn't the most supportive guy around back that," Chris explained awkwardly. "You kids know my job. Well, I used to be like the kids I work with. I was angry and bitter, and my supernatural abilities were kind of spiraling. I was very aggressive back then, in attitude and demeanor, towards your parents. There was talk of me going to military school, even."

Both Hana and Souta were surprised having never known their uncle to be out of control like that. "You never told us that," Souta accused, his eyes moving to his mother. She was always the honest one in their family, and she had never expressed anything like that about their uncle.

Kaili knew the look in Souta's eyes, smiling sadly. "It was a long time ago, and we worked through all of that. There was no sense to worry you kids. I know how much you both love your uncle."

"So, you really went to military school?" Hana questioned, eyes wide. "What was it like?"

"At first I did," Chris explained. "Your mom decided to leave instead of me, afraid I'd be more irate with her. She stayed with Shuichi for a while."

"It was back in the beginning days of being a spirit detective," Kurama interjected. "Yusuke had only become one months before, and I ended up assisting him with quite a few cases. That is how we all came to know each other, and how your mother met everyone as well."

"When I did go to the school, I also started anger management. Where I hated being away from Meiou all those months, I have to admit it all got me in line. Because I had been doing so much better, mom transferred me back to my high school, and I continued anger management. I made a couple of friends, Mitari and Hagiri…" His gaze darted to his sister and brother-in-law, gaging their reactions to see if talking about the two teenagers was okay. They both gave him a nod, so he relaxed. "I realized I could have gone down such a dark path because of them. We all could have, but they managed to turn their life around. I'm still really close with Mitari. Hagiri disappeared sometime after high school."

"Really?" Kaili questioned, shocked. That meant one of the guys who was responsible for so much drama and pain, the guy who _shot_ her was out in the world doing who knew what.

Chris seemed to sense his sister's distress. "Pretty sure he's out their pulling his own brand of vigilante justice and just needed some space away from the city. He always talked about getting away from hear after all was said and done. A lot of bad memories."

"Understandable," Kurama remarked.

Souta leaned over and whispered to his sister. "Why do I feel like we're missing something?" Hana merely shrugged.

"In any case, I'm glad for everything I went through," Chris told the kids, wanting to get his lesson across. "I was terrible to your mother. At first we just bickered like siblings who didn't really like each other, but it wasn't until she started hanging out with Shuichi and our father returned that uncontrollable anger flared up inside of me. I kept trying to get her alone to talk, not trusting your father, sensing he was a demon. My point never made it through. I just kept blaming your mother for everything, including our parents' fighting. As a kid, I was always her biggest protector, but after the divorce, I had gotten insanely angry and I took it all out on Kaili. I hated myself for it. Anger management was the last thing I wanted to deal with, but I somehow managed to get myself under control. I stopped hurting your mother, and me, her, and your father worked on building our relationship.

"I realize now, as an adult, that it was due to the influx of demon energy in Human World, and my power was starting to go out of control," he told them. "That's not as much of a problem today as it used to be, thankfully, since the worlds are united. I still have flare ups, but nothing like back then."

"Wow," Hana marveled, still astonished. "You guys all went through so much."

"We did," Kaili agreed, "but it's nothing that you need to worry about, not at all. Hey, now, why don't we go get you ready for bed? You have to be up bright and early for school."

"Aw, man," both kids complained, making all the adults chuckle. Where they were both bright students, they did not have the same penchant to school as their father seemed to have in the "teenaged years."

Kaili managed to chorale the twins upstairs leaving Kurama and Chris to themselves. Chris let out a heavy breath and shook his head. "I didn't mean to unload that on them," he expressed. "I just think about it all the time, and when she asked-"

"You don't need to explain," Kurama cut him off. "It is better to answer them honestly when we can. Souta is at the age where he asks more questions than we feel comfortable answering, and when we redirect him, he sees it as a betrayal. We're both trying to be more open, but there is a lot of both of our paths we can't discuss with them yet, especially the Dark Tournament and Sensui cases."

"Gotcha," Chris stated. "So I made a good call being vague about those guys. I didn't even want to tell them about dad. They at least knew there was a struggle in the family, right?"

Kurama nodded. "Their mother told them a few years ago because Hana noticed her stress around your father," he explained. "There are times she struggles being around him because of how he had wanted us all dead at one point."

"I understand." Chris really did. Honestly, he still had some issues with his father. He eventually learned that his first bout of insatiable anger and out of control powers was due to not only his father's actions but to what he found out later. His father's "girlfriend" that took him away from the family wasn't really his lover. She was a demon who was sent by the higher ups in the Black Black Club, and she brought him into that dark and chaotic world. Because of Chris's spiritual awareness, the heightened energy was too much for him, and it caused his rage to skyrocket. His mother had then decided to start taking them when she moved around to make sure they were away from their father. Maybe she, with her own awareness, sensed something dark and foreboding. In any case, getting away from that world and going through anger management had calmed him down considerably. It wasn't until they came to Japan that it started up again.

Knowing this had seemed to improve his and Shuichi's relationship, both men wanting to protect Kaili and the twins. They would train together, Kurama teaching Chris different meditation techniques and sparring with him to keep his instincts sharp. Now that Kurama knew what instigated his brother-in-law's anger, plus the fact that demons and humans integrating was making those fluxes easier to handle, there was no ill will between the two men. Kurama would even dare call Chris a friend.

The two began going over it a little, Chris remembering how they had needed to take out a restraining order. Chris spoke of another memory, and they discussed how their father had left them all without saying goodbye and never asked for visitation. They all knew why, but Chris didn't really care about that part. It was moot now that their father and mother had reconnected, but the shame his still held lied in how Kaili had confronted him on his admiration for the man and how he had pushed her into the wall in response. "I was a mess back then. I'm really lucky she gave me another chance. I love my sister."

"I know you do," Kurama spoke, "And she knows you do also. The bonds of siblingship are very powerful."

Chris looked shocked for a moment. It almost sounded like his brother-in-law was talking from experience. He could have been speaking about Shuuichi, but he had an inkling that it was much deeper than that. "Do you have a sibling?"

"No," Kurama replied curtly, lying to the man's face. "I've just seen it. After being in this world, I learned that siblings are supposed to protect each other, not fight each other. It seems you learned that before it was too late."

"Heh, yeah, definitely," Chris replied. "Now, enough of this serious stuff. I'm ready for another slice of my sister's blueberry pie."

Kurama's serious countenance dissipated, and he offered a patient smile and nod, happy for the distraction from his tumultuous thoughts. As they reminisced, he couldn't chase away the sensation at the back of his mind and his earlier conversation with Hiei. It should have made him feel better to confide in another about his early past, but if anything it left him feeling more unsettled. Most likely it was due to the uncertainty. Where he didn't think his brother was alive and where he wouldn't be able to track him down _if_ he were alive, there was something nagging at him. _I hope that this is all for naught and that Hiei finds nothing._ That was the only thought on his mind as he went to go and entertain his wife's brother. It was what he had to cling to for his own sanity, as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, just my OCs (and quite a lot of them there are…lol)**

* * *

Kurama wiped his brow after he finished pulling to weeds from the ground, removing them as his mother planted her new petunia blossoms. The woman smiled at him as he went to discard the plant scraps, happy that her son had decided to visit. Shuichi had been coming around more often, sometimes just to sit and chat and sometimes to help Shiori with her gardening. He had enjoyed helping her when he was younger, and the two always seemed to have a connection when they worked together.

"How is Kaili?" Shiori asked, her son pausing for a moment in surprise before a smile graced his features.

"She is doing well," he informed the woman. "She's still getting used to all the attention from her book."

Shiori nodded in understanding. Kaili was always fairly reserved as a teenager, keeping to herself most of the time until she and Shuichi had made so many wonderful friends. She had tried to stay out of the limelight for as long as possible. "That's to be expected," the woman replied. "And the kids?"

At the mention of the twins, Shiori caught the flicker of concern that flashed in her son's guarded eyes. In an instant, that glimmer was gone, replaced by the stony front Shuichi put forth. He always assumed that she could not sense when something was awry when he covered his concern with his impassive or forcibly "normal" façade, but she knew. Shuichi looked to the woman, a wry smile gracing his features as the coldness in his eyes disappeared. "They are well," he answered, "although, they have inherited a bit of their mother's rebellious streak. Both Souta and Hana are starting to behave as she did before we met, trying to get out of going to school."

Shiori offered her boy a knowing grin while mentally noting that there had to be something else bothering him. She motioned for the redhead to follow her, Kurama's brow quirking in interest before she gestured to the front patio table outside by the cherry blossom tree. His expression softened as he dusted himself off. The two sat down and took a break, his mother offering him some lemonade. The large tree provided them shade despite the falling of the flowers. "That's how children are sometimes," Shiori told him, continuing their line of conversation. "Of course, I never had to worry about that with you."

He managed to keep his lips from quirking upward, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Honestly, as a child he hardly cared for school. It was just the normal way humans behaved. He didn't care about learning the alphabet or math. That had all been rather boring and unchallenging. The only reason he put up with it was because he was trying to hide out and keep the normal visage of a human child. Of course, he was never like the other children. He couldn't be. Even when he decided to stay, he continued to go to school with hardly any prompting mainly for Shiori's benefit. He had already treated her so poorly thinking her to be inferior for the longest time. All that time, she was doing everything she could to try and mold him as all parents did with their children. Being a parent himself now, he understood it more than ever. For Shiori, he tried to cause her less trouble, and that was one of the reasons he continued to go to school despite its less than demanding nature.

"In spite of that, I was not spared the typical conduct," Kurama jested. "Really, I don't mind it so much, that they inherited so much of Kaili's personality."

Shiori laughed at that. "Oh, come now," she challenged. "I see quite a bit of you in those kids: their mannerisms, their intelligence and wit, and Souta's stoicism." An emotion Kurama didn't recognize passed over the woman's expression, a sad smile outwardly reflecting it. "Truthfully, I see a lot of you in him."

 _You have no idea,_ Kurama thought to himself, casting his eyes downward at his glass. His grip around it tightened only slightly before a sigh escaped him. They had discussed this, once, back after he had returned from the first Demon World Tournament. He had called her, admitted to being selfish all these years, and he had wanted to discuss it. When he returned home, he started by apologizing for all the times he had taken her for granted, and kept her at a distance. He had explained that there were just some things in life he needed to sort out for himself and that he loved her and appreciated all she had done for him and taught him. It was, by far, the most emotional conversation they had ever had, Shiori gaping at him during the entirety.

She was right to be surprised. Kurama had done a great job of concealing his emotions for the majority of his human life. As much as he had tried to bridge the gap between him and Shiori, there was always the secret of his true identity between them. For her safety, this couldn't be avoided, and yet it kept a slight wall between them no matter how much he had changed and spent time with the woman. Kurama knew the woman sensed that something was amiss, but she never asked and he never confided in her.

It was the same between him and Souta, the child wiser beyond his years despite being contained in the body of a child. The difference was Souta's lack of experience. Despite his premonitions, he had not seen the awful sights in Demon World or experienced the trials that would lead to heightened maturity. The life Kurama led before becoming Shuichi Minamino was not one he could freely express to his children at their age. He did not wish to taint their young minds with the darker truths that existed beyond their senses, especially not over his suspicions that Tetsuki still walked among them or, for that matter, who and what he was. They knew enough as it was for he and Kaili could not keep everything from them. Still, there was a small sliver of suspicion Kurama always received from his son, which, in turn, led to his son's apprehension to communicate his own fears.

"In any case, I'm sure they'll grow out of it," Shiori consoled, placing her hand on her son's. Kurama released a quiet and disbelieving chuckle. "In any case, I've been hearing a lot of wonderful things from Kazuya about your work at the company. He is very impressed and thankful for all your help."

"Hm," Kurama hummed in response, sipping his lemonade, that same, secretive aura overtaking him as his mind lingered on his son, his premonitions, and the potential threats that could arise.

Finally, Shiori could stand her son's silence no longer. "Shuichi, is something wrong?" she questioned, taking the direct approach.

"It's nothing," he assured her. "It's just…something I'm working on."

Kurama remained at his mother's house a while longer, staying for lunch and then helping her clean up afterwards. By the time they finished, Shuuichi had returned home from college. He practically beamed when he saw his stepbrother, offering the redhead a smile and wave before running up to his room to quickly drop off his belongings. Shiori chuckled, earning Kurama's attention. She smiled at her son and said, "Your brother has been asking for you."

Perplexed, Kurama resisted the urge to flinch when Shiori said the word "brother." He had to shake himself free of thoughts of Tetsuki. "Why had he been asking?"

"I'm really not sure," the mother replied, "but I think it's nice that Kokoda looks up to you. I'm so happy the two of you get along."

Kurama gave her a nod. "Honestly, I am too."

Sometime later, Shiori had received a phone call and went to take it in another room. At the same time, Shuuichi came barreling down the stairs, nearly running into his stepbrother. "Shuichi, hey," he greeted energetically. "I didn't expect to see you today."

"Yes," Kurama replied. "It was my day off, and I decided to spend it with mother."

Shuuichi's expression softened. "That's good," he murmured. "I can tell mom really misses you when you aren't here, all of you." Kurama knew exactly what he meant. "Anyway, how are you doing? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. How's life? What about your job?"

"Shouldn't you be asking your father those questions?" Kurama asked, brow raised. "It is his company, after all."

His stepbrother appeared confused before shaking his head. "No, not that. I mean your oth-"

At that moment, the front door opened and Hatanaka entered the home. He spotted his two sons and smiled. "Ah, Shuichi, good to see you. You missed a heck of a day."

"Did I?" Kurama replied in interest.

The man nodded. "Are you staying for dinner, son?"

"No," the redhead replied, "but I'll join you in the kitchen shortly before I leave."

As the man entered the kitchen, Kurama turned back to regard his stepbrother only to find that Shuuichi had left the living room. It seemed strange for the youth to depart mid-conversation, and that confused Kurama even more. _Hm, maybe he has a paper to work on…_ Of course, it had seemed like he wanted to ask him something, too. _Very strange._

* * *

Nerves flared up in every part of her being, Kaili standing in front of a closed door. Entering the building where her therapist's office was located was a big step. Entering the actual room where he was caused all sorts of emotions to rise inside of her. _Alright, Kaili…it's now or never…_

After what felt like forever, Kaili knocked on the door. "Come in," a calm and patient voice spoke from the other side. The woman took another deep breath, getting ahold of herself, and opened the door. The doctor turned from his desk to see her and smiled. "Ah, Kaili Minamino. So good to meet you. I've heard quite a bit about you from your brother. Don't be shy. Come in and make yourself comfortable. I'm Dr. Mori."

"Thanks…Dr. Mori," Kaili replied fairly timidly.

The therapist merely smiled at her and got up from his seat to shake the author's hand before gesturing for her to sit. Kaili tried not to let her mental sarcasm of the couch cliché get to her as she made herself as comfortable as she could be despite being so tense. Dr. Mori was a middle-aged man, fair in complexion, and had this tranquil aura about him that made Kaili feel a bit more secure. "So, Kaili, let's get started. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

The girl scoffed a nervous laugh. "What has Chris told you about me?"

"Ah, ah," the doctor chided. "This session is all about you. I want to hear everything from your perspective. Besides, it's doctor/patient confidentiality. I can't tell you about what Chris and I talk about, nor can I tell him about anything we discuss. If you two wish to share with each other, that's fine, but my focus for this hour is you."

To play off her discomfort, Kaili finally let her sarcastic defense mechanism show. "You know of my book?" The man nodded to her, his eyes telling her to keep going. She took a shaky breath and closed her eyes. Well, here went nothing. "Yeah…all of it happened."

* * *

It took a while, but Youda managed to collect some information in such a short time on the demon who had betrayed Yomi so greatly, namely one Youko Kurama. He had been the fox spirit's right-hand man for a while until his impulsive nature had caused the legendary bandit to sever ties with him. Over a millennia later, they had met again, roles swapped. Yomi had looked to Youko because he trusted him to an extent. At least, he trusted that he could control him, but the fox was always the type to be one step ahead. He had hidden among humankind for years since his death, and Yomi had done his research. Had it not been for Yusuke Urameshi's ploy of the Demon World Tournament, Yomi was certain he would have had Kurama's service until the end of the war.

Then, to find out that the soldiers Kurama had trained for him were _friends_ of Raizen's heir was demoralizing. The entire time his old _friend_ had been aiding in his advancement, Kurama was plotting against him. If the war had occurred the second Yusuke showed up, those six warrior that were stronger than his entire army would have turned against him without a second thought, and Kurama knew. Yomi hadn't seen passed his own ambitions, hadn't expected to be betrayed a second time. He should have expected the possibility, but he had felt he had such an airtight hold on the former bandit. He was angry with himself, but, most of all, he was angry with Youko.

What Youda had brought to Yomi on Kurama's early life was nothing substantial that the former king wouldn't have already known from working with him. So, Yomi tried to think like the fox, attempting to enter the mind of his former thieving partner. His mind was dissecting their every encounter for something, anything, that could be used against him. He was struggling to come up with a plan.

Before Youda left him, however, he told Yomi that one of their spies in Spirit World overheard Mukuro's general, Hiei, and a ferry girl talking about something that could be of interest. They were looking for a demon named Tetsuki, and Kurama's name had been mentioned in the conversation. Of course, neither knew what to make of it. Yomi pondered this and said, "Thank you, Youda. That will be all."

Meanwhile, he was processing the information he just heard, wondering who this Tetsuki was and how Kurama was related to that the fire demon's and ferry girl's search.

* * *

Kurama had returned home in the evening, finding Kaili with the children playing a board game. While they continued their game, he got started on dinner until Souta ended up the victor. Kaili had the kids wash up right after and joined her mate in the kitchen, the two cooking the rest of the meal together, occasionally exchanging sideward glances and smiles. Their evening was calm and peaceful, something Kurama desperately needed to quell his tumultuous thoughts of Hiei's search.

When the two were getting ready for bed, they were exchanging events of their day, talking about everything they did for the most part. Actually, Kaili flinched when Shuichi asked her what she had done during the afternoon when he was with his mother. Thankfully, her husband had been in their master bathroom and had no idea that she experienced such an obvious, nervous tick. "I…I'm thinking of starting another journal," she admitted to him, "to document the experiences of our lives some more."

Kurama exited the bathroom, his long hair tied in a ponytail. He flashed her a grin, his eyes full of curiosity. "For another book?"

Kaili answered with a shrug and said, "Maybe. Maybe just for me." She could tell he wanted to ask her what had brought the idea on, but he refrained. To avoid lingering on thoughts she didn't want him to know, she then told him about the kids' day.

As the redhead listened, his hand gently grazed Kaili's arm. "Mother and I talked about the kids today. She believes they are just going through a phase. I know it's more than that. We will have to keep an eye on them both."

His wife nodded in agreement, a frown marring her features before she asked him, "Did you get to see Kokoda at all? He usually gets out of class in the late afternoon."

"I did," Kurama remarked, his gaze going distant. "Something strange happened. He was asking me about work, and when I pointed out he could ask questions regarding the company of his father, he started to say something else. Hatanaka showed up, and he disappeared before I could find out what he wanted to say. Mother said he had been asking for me for a while now, too. I don't know what to make of it."

Kaili chuckled and shook her head. "It's probably nothing, and you're just overthinking it," she assured him. "I'm positive that everything is fine."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Kurama asked the woman, his eyes holding so much warmth as he moved to capture her lips with his own. Kaili curled into her husband's warm hold, immense guilt consuming her for lying to her husband about her day. For the longest time, she despised those who deceived others, and now she was doing the same thing. She felt like she was no better than the fake people she had hated growing up, but at the same time she knew she was trying to spare her mate's feelings and worry. Eventually, she would be fine, once she processed everything she went through. Hopefully, one day she could bring herself to tell him about her visits. She knew he would be supportive.

Meanwhile, Kurama was completely unaware of his mate's inner turmoil, but he, himself, was raging on the inside. As the day passed on, he had heard nothing from Hiei. Where he knew these matters took time, the delay just left him feeling more unsettled. As the days had passed on, he was starting to feel guilt over not telling Kaili this detail about his past. He knew she deserved to know. She tried to get him to talk about it many times. Hopefully, his concerns would be empty, and he could bring himself to tell his wife about his traumatic childhood. He just needed to wait until he was calm enough.

He pulled away from her to close the light, and then he held her form tightly against him. Kaili relaxed in his grip, and the couple entered slumber together, both hopeful that they would be able to muster up the courage to admit to their secrets in the near future. For now, this peace was enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters. Just my OCs!**

* * *

Kaili sighed as she typed away on her laptop, starting the introduction of her new journal. She had never really considered writing more, but her therapist had recommended. Dr. Mori had been completely shocked by how much she had experienced in her late childhood, early adulthood. She was a teenager experiencing such trauma.

He had explained all of the reasons why her past stuck with her. Her life had shaped who she was, and entering into such a life with Shuichi had meant leaving the naïve part of her behind so early on in her development. Their life together had always been complicated even though she and Shuichi had become more settled over the years. Still, she had grown up way too quickly, and where she didn't mind and wouldn't change it, all of it affected her. She had even become a mother and wife young. Though Shuichi appeared young, he was much older and ready for the stage of life. She had to adjust to it.

As much as she loved her life, mate, and children, she didn't want her kids to experience the same turmoil. They already were and they hadn't even turned ten yet. Even when they hadn't even been born yet, they had already known of the dangers in the outside world. It was a wonder Souta kept them inside a bit longer. The fact that he remembered it all baffled Kaili.

So, her therapist suggested to keep filling their crazy life with some normalcy and to keep a journal to document all the positives and negatives in life so she could process them. He also suggested that she return to her training and maybe meditate more often. She had slacked over the years, pouring all of her energy into her children. Part of her wondered if Genkai would still work with her. A fond smile graced her features at the thought of the old psychic. She was still up and kicking, though she really wasn't taking on many students anymore. Still, she allowed their group to visit and have events there. The kids absolutely adored her.

At that moment, a ping from an e-mail went off, stealing Kaili's attention. She moved to check it, and her eyes widened in surprised. "J?"

She couldn't believe it! It had been forever since she had heard from her childhood friend. As her friend had said, J, or Juliana, had told Kaili she'd be travelling the world with her family. When she returned, Kaili had sent her a copy of her book after she had sent it to the publisher, and she had also told her friend about the babies and her wedding. J had felt awful for missing so much, but she was ecstatic for her friend. Since then, the friends had again lost touch, but that was mostly Kaili's fault. Every time her friend sent an e-mail, something was going on with the kids or she was needed at some formal event. Kaili was the one feeling guilty this time.

She and Juliana had been inseparable as children, and their families had gone on so many vacations together. Of course, they never really ventured out of Italy, not until Kaili's mother had been transferred with work. Those trips to Rome, Avelino, Venice, and Naples were but distant memories that happened so long ago.

This e-mail from J couldn't have come at a better time. Kaili was in need of something exciting that didn't involve her other life. She opened the e-mail and was elated when she read that J was planning to visit Japan for a while and wanted to visit with her and meet her husband and the kids. Kaili teared up. Yes, this was exactly what she needed. She couldn't wait to tell Shuichi the good news!

* * *

Focusing on work day by day was starting to become a task in it of itself for Kurama, a rarity for him. Where his attention needed to be on reports and numbers, his mind was wandering to a truly ancient past. It was getting to the point where he wondered if he should have been communicating with his wife instead of keeping her in the dark.

"Hn…this distraction is not becoming of you, fox," Hiei declared, showing up unexpectedly in Kurama's office. The fox demon was completely perplexed, and Hiei scoffed. "I've been here for well over fifteen minutes."

"Dually noted," Kurama growled darkly before pushing away from his computer. He was all business in countenance, contrasting the normally amused visage he usually held whenever he received a visit from the fire demon. "I take it this isn't a social call. What did you find?"

Hiei looked serious for a moment, and Kurama immediately thought the worst. Then, his longtime friend smirked. "You have nothing to worry about, fox. Your brother is dead."

Kurama's eyes widened, and he felt immense relief flood through his chest, the cold exterior being shed. "Are you certain?" he questioned. He needed to be completely sure that his family was safe and that his brother was nothing but a memory.

Answering with a shrug, Hiei said, "We couldn't find anything in the Spirit World archives, but as far as my search went, I located his final resting place. I could not find him alive anywhere."

Where that wasn't exactly the full confirmation Kurama had wanted, he still accepted it. After all, he was thousands of years old. It was possible that Spirit World did not have information from back in those days or, if they did, it was hidden somewhere in the deepest parts, unable to be found in the massive amounts of paperwork. He knew the Jagan had its limits, but he trusted Hiei. The fire demon would not have given up the search if he didn't believe it was truly over. "I cannot thank you enough for doing this for me," he told the demon, his partner in crime. "At least I know that where my family is concerned, they are safe."

Strangely enough, Hiei did not mock Kurama for his "human sentiments." Instead he gave him a nod before taking his leave, mentally communicating, _You'd do the same for me._

Kurama mentally chuckled. It seemed his friend was just as sentimental as he was.

* * *

After work, which Kurama had finally been able to concentrate on, he was able to return home. The second he opened the door, he saw Kaili, and he swiftly moved to embrace her, practically slamming the door shut behind him. Kaili was taken aback by Shuichi's behavior. It was like he hadn't seen her in years only to be reunited.

Her husband pulled away and grinned as the blush dusting his wife's cheeks. "What was that for?" she asked him all flustered.

"It's been a while since we've been out, just the two of us," Kurama replied, his voice deep and filled with longing. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "We can leave the kids with my parents for the night."

Kaili shivered slightly. Honestly, her husband was right. Everything had been so hectic at the company and with her revealing her identity as the author of _The Demon Journal_. They hadn't purposefully put their relationship on hold, mainly focusing on their kids and getting through the weeks. She had barely noticed because of her own difficulties and therapy sessions, but neither had been fully there for a while. It wasn't a terrible thing, of course, just a fact of life. The fact that Shuichi wanted to nurture their relationship was really very sweet, and she loved him all the more for it, not to mention a little weak in the knees. She couldn't say "no" to him.

Nodding, she answered in a breath, "Okay."

They called the kids down, both of them having finished with their homework, to get them ready to spend a night at their grandmother's home. Hana was excited, though Souta looked a little wary. Kurama immediately took notice, and offered a patient smile as he approached the boy. The premonition Souta must have had days ago was probably still haunting him, but it mattered not. No matter what would happen in Demon World during the tournament, he would keep an eye on Yomi.

His son didn't have anything to fear.

To comfort the boy, Kurama placed a hand on his son's head in affection. The two exchanged secretive glances, Kurama mentally promising that he could handle whatever would come their way. He let that silent reassurance wash over Souta, and the boy finally softened, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he nodded to his father.

* * *

For date night, Kurama pulled out all the stops, taking Kaili out to a fancy restaurant all dressed up. Kaili smiled at her husband from across the table, taking his hand. The demon wore a lazily content smile, lacing their fingers together. "So, what's the occasion?" Kaili asked, sensing that there was something more going on than Shuichi just wanting a night out.

"There is no occasion," Kurama answered. "But I know I've been busy lately and a victim to my own thoughts. I feel like maybe I've been neglecting you, and I want that to stop now."

Kaili's expression softened, a bright smile on her face. "It's how it is when you have a career and become a parent," she reassured, "but I like the idea. We really should do this more often."

His expression matched hers, and he covered the hand he was holding with his other hand. Kaili couldn't help but feel like the giddy schoolgirl who fell in love with the demon all over again. Every time he showered her with attention, she always felt bashful. He returned his hand to its original place, but he never let go of her hand as he asked her questions. "How was your day?"

The woman thought back on all she did that day and remembered her first bit of exciting news. "Oh! I know," she chimed. "One of my old friends from Italy is coming to Japan for a visit. You remember me telling you about J, right?"

Of course he did. Kurama remembered quite a bit of information that Kaili mentioned in passing. It was sometime after the Dark Tournament when Kaili expressed that she was upset that her friend would be out of touch, travelling the world with her family. Other than J looking over her book, the two girls hadn't really been in touch over the years. He knew his wife missed her friend deeply, and so he was happy for her that J was coming to Japan. "Ah, the elusive J," he commented. "Tell me, will I finally learn what 'J' stands for?"

Kaili winked at him and cheekily said, "We'll find out." Kurama couldn't help but chuckle. It was good to see his wife in good spirits.

Overall, they had a pleasant evening, the two walking home and enjoying the peaceful, fall night. Kurama took Kaili's hand in his, and she leaned into him, absorbing his warmth. When the two made it home, Kaili locked the door, something she knew she didn't have to worry about with her mate's plant protectors, but a habit and extra layer of protection she would never break.

As she moved away from the door, she found herself pushed back against it, her back literally against a wall as her lover engaged her in a heated lip lock. His hands took extra care to be gentle over her figure while still lighting a fire within her. Kaili felt desire wash over her as she returned his passion, her husband leading her to their room.

* * *

 _It was dark where she was, and Kaili was starting to become terrified. She had a horrible feeling of this place. The walls were made a stone, and torches lit the hallway. Not only that, but she knew she had to hurry. She had just escaped her captor, and she needed to keep going. She just had to find the exit._

 _Kaili's eyes finally caught sight of the tunnel leading out, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. She was about to be free. Picking up the pace, she took off, ignoring the horrendous pain in her body. She had spent so much of her time in the past racing up and down Genkai's stairs that she was able to push through._

 _And then she made it out._

 _A big smile crossed her features as she dove into the white light. Freedom. She was okay, safe, able to go ho-_

 _She was standing in from of the ring on Hanging Neck Island, her lover facing off against that horrible Karasu. Kaili gaped, her eyes taking in the sight of blood and the sound of screams around her. But Shuichi wasn't standing before, and Karasu disappeared. She was staring into the cold eyes of Youko Kurama._

Kaili felt hands on her and awoke, gasping as if she hadn't taken a breath in a while. She heard Shuichi's soft calls, but she was choking on nothing, trying to calm herself after that horrible dream. This wasn't new to Kaili. She sometimes still had nightmares about the events of the past, somewhat recurring actually. It was part of the reason she finally bit the bullet and went to see Dr. Mori. She knew she couldn't face this alone.

When she finally regained herself enough, Kaili practically threw herself at Shuichi, latching onto him and sobbing against his bare chest. She had been so scared in the dream and hurt, and then she came across that awful memory from the tournament. The only thing that threw her was the empty look in her lover's eyes at the end. Even when he had transformed into Youko Kurama with the solution Suzuki had given him, he had come to her and been beyond affectionate. They had been connected. The Youko in her dream was soulless, dark…nothing that she felt from her mate as her gently nuzzled his nose in her hair, whispering words of comfort as he rubbed soothing circles on her back until she calmed. This was her mate, both Shuichi and Youko, so her dream just made no sense.

"Are you all right?" he asked her. She lied with a nod. "You had a nightmare." Kaili sighed and then nodded again. Her husband was ever the observant one. "What was it about?"

She knew he would continue to ask questions if she didn't say anything, so she finally told him. "Karasu," she admitted, causing her husband to flinch. "I…sometimes still have nightmares about him."

It took a lot to surprise the fox, and Kaili's declaration certainly did the trick. He had no idea his wife was still trapped in memories from back during her teenaged years. Truthfully, he had thought her to be long past it, though he could understand why she wasn't. "Why have you never told me?"

"I felt silly," she admitted, "feeling this way after all these years. You've seen so much more and far worse than I have for so long, and it doesn't bother you. I just thought…"

"Kaili, no," Kurama whispered, pulling her close to him as he lied them back down. "I'd rather you tell me. I knew that everything you've seen would trouble you. It was one of the reasons I tried to spare you and keep you away from it back then."

The woman released a self-deprecating laugh. "Maybe I should have listened to you then instead of being an impulsive kid."

"Ah, but that impulsiveness and tenacity is part of the woman I fell in love with," Kurama replied, "and I wouldn't trade our time together for all the treasures in the world. I just wish I could have spared you most of it, but then again you wouldn't have had the material for your books." Kaili laughed through her tears and their eyes met.

"I'm sorry, Shuichi."

The fox nipped her nose in response. "Don't apologize," he chided. "You've done absolutely nothing wrong."

He held her in his protective embrace, waiting until she fell asleep before he relaxed. He had no idea his mate was still suffering so much from their past, and guilt consumed him for never noticing it or considering it before now. Kaili did a good job of hiding it, but he should have noticed the signs or at least should have been alerted to her past nightmares. Well, now that he was calmer and no longer concerned over his phantom brother, he could focus on his family. He would do whatever it took to get them back on track before the upcoming Demon World Tournament. Maybe he could ask Hatanaka for some time off in the upcoming weeks. His mate and kids had to come first.

* * *

The next night, an impromptu gathering was held at Genkai's. Every so often, the group reunited at the temple, spending time together. It was a good chance for everyone to catch up and relax, another blessing of peace that was awarded to them ever since Yusuke's suggestion had ultimately led to that peace.

Souta and Hana were playing with Rin and Aisu in the courtyard. Kaili and Yukina were watching their children with fondness, conversing about the daily happenings of their lives. Yukina expressed that she was finally getting used to city life after all these years. The human still remembered the first time Yukina had come to the city, how she was so confused by all the signs and lights. The ice maiden had almost crossed the street without waiting for the "walk" light to come on. Kuwabara had kept her safe, though, explaining everything to her yet still holding her hand the rest of the time they should her around. That day, it had been the first time Yukina had been to a mall also. Yukina had come a long way since then, studying to become a nurse at a local school while acting as a stay-at-home mother much like Kaili while Kuwabara worked at the hospital and the detective agency.

Speaking of, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke were off to the side, chatting about their latest case. It was nothing major, just another declaration of a haunting that turned out to be true. Of course, the demon wasn't planning to harm anyone and left quietly. For once, they were glad they didn't have to fight something, but Yusuke claimed it would have been nice to stretch their legs just a little bit, missing the action.

Kurama took notice of Botan. Actually, it was more like he felt her eyes burning a hole into his back. He turned, the two meeting eyes. The ferry girl looked at him with uncharacteristic seriousness, like she had something she wanted to say, and so he excused himself just when Yusuke and Kuwabara were getting into one of their usual squabbles.

As he leaned against a tree next to the ferry girl, he waited for her to speak. Botan's cheeks puffed out in annoyance before she began. "I have a bone to pick with you, mister," she scolded, pointing her finger at him. "How could you bring Hiei and me into your conspiracy theory and then swear us to secrecy from everyone? Hiei told me everything, and think Kaili has the right to know. I don't want to keep secrets from her…"

He understood it. They had sworn Botan to secrecy back at the beginning to the Dark Tournament, but Kaili, Keiko, and Shizuru had all found out anyway, not that Kurama had kept the truth away from his girlfriend at the time. Where Kaili had been empathetic to Botan's plight, he knew that Botan felt like she had betrayed everyone's trust back then on both sides, and now she was being put in that position again due to his unwillingness to talk about his past with his wife. The ferry girl made an excellent point. Kaili deserved to know him and his upbringing, what he came from and what he could have been. Now that it was confirmed that Tetsuki was truly gone, he was more willing to tell her. Still…with her nightmare, it would be better to wait.

"I agree with you," Kurama confessed, shocking the over-expressive ferry girl. "Just, right now, I don't know how to broach the subject." His tired eyes met the blue-haired spirit, and Botan's gaze softened. "You see, Kaili is a bit stressed out, as it is, from our past. I'd like to focus on those issues first before I pile more on top of her shoulders, especially regarding my past. I hope you can understand."

Botan nodded enthusiastically. "I do," she admitted, "but Hiei made it sound like you never planned on telling her."

"I didn't," Kurama corroborated looking out into the distance, "but lately I've noticed more at home. Kaili is distressed and felt she couldn't come to me with her fears, and Souta is fearful of yet another premonition and also doesn't come to us when he needs to. I feel like that distrust is there because of how secretive I am towards my past. I was trying to spare my family the worst Demon World had to offer, but it couldn't be helped." He returned his emerald gaze back to the woman who was listening to his confession with patience. "I need to spend some more on time home and get the situation under control. Once the stress of the tournament is over, I will discuss this all with Kaili and determine with her what the kids should and shouldn't know about my past."

Botan eased up, her amethyst eyes more sympathetic than they had been at the start of this conversation. "I understand. Believe me, I do. Just…don't wait too long. If you plan to tell her after the tournament, then just do it. If not, there will always be another excuse to prolong that talk, and I think you deserve to have someone else to confide in, too."

Kurama offered the woman a sad smile and nodded. "You're a good friend, Botan. Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm certain Kaili will be wondering where I disappeared to."

With that, the demon excused himself, heading back towards the temple. Out of nowhere, he felt a jolt through his entire body, freezing him in place. It faded as quickly as it came, Kurama not understanding it. He looked around, feeling out with his senses only to find that no one else was around him. He looked to his friends and family, and no one else seemed to notice it either. He shrugged it off, thinking that maybe it was a demon who lived in the forest or was just passing through. Then, he returned to his wife's side, Kieko having joined the table with Kuwabara's sister. He took a seat beside Kaili and conversed with the girls. The rest of the night ran smoothly from there.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters, just my OCs**

 **Hey all, I'm back with another chapter, and also with some news. A friend of mine recently joined Discord to advertise her art. I've been using my DeviantArt account to advertise my stories and give updates, but I've decided to use Discord to do so as well. I'm still getting set up on Discord, but if you want to get updates on stories, access to future content, fanfiction and fandom discussion pages, a private grief/emotional recovery group, and more. If you're interested, you can PM me for my account name to add me or send me yours, and I'll invite you to my channel. I look forward to hearing from you ^_^**

* * *

Kurama took a deep breath, inhaling the scents around a local campus. He, Yusuke, and Kuwabara had been enlisted on another case. It was almost like the case where Keiko had hired them. The school where she worked was being haunted, supposedly, but it turned out to be high school pranks on fellow classmates. This time, though, there was an actual youkai involved. The fox could smell him.

"Found him."

Yusuke had been pretty pleased with how quickly they hunted the demon down, but he was completely astonished as to how the case had closed. There was a demon sneaking around the school, but he wasn't haunting the place to terrify students. He was actually looking to make friends. Since Halloween was coming, he figured he'd scare the children for a fun prank, but they all ran away crying or scared. The dejected demon realized his mistake and promised to stop causing trouble. They let the demon off with a warning, and he fled the scene.

As irritated as Yusuke was that the case was overly simple and a waste, he and the others were honestly relieved that it wasn't some demon rebel trying to disrupted the peace.

After that, they decided to go out for a well-deserved reward at a burger shop. They had all ordered their food and some drinks. Out of nowhere, Yusuke asked, "So, fox boy, how've _you_ been doing?"

Kurama blinked at his long-time friend and asked, "Pardon?"

Kuwabara nodded as if he were agreeing with something before swallowing a mouth full of burger. "Yeah, you've been acting strange lately. What's up?"

The fox was surprised by the interrogation, his countenance darkening considerably as he tried to rein in his emotions. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged knowing glances. They knew their redheaded friend wasn't thrilled with this line of questioning. "Well, something was up with you this week," Yusuke pointed out. "You seemed distracted and really quiet, a lot more than usual. As secretive as you are, you're usually fairly chatty. You seem better now, though. Did everything get cleared up?"

Kurama's expression softened as he observed the concern etched on his friends faces. He realized that he should not have felt cornered. They weren't going to demand specifics. They only wanted to make sure that he and his family were okay. "Sort of," he admitted. "South has been having premonitions again, and I was trying to determine the cause and figure them out, but since they appeared, everything has seemed to go back to normal. I've been able to reassure him."

"You know, it's weird that the twins can always sense stuff about the tournament like that," Kuwabara stated. "My kids don't have premonitions like I do, Rin being a healer like her mother and Aisu having ice-like abilities. He can sense stuff around him and has a strong sense of direction, but nothing warns them of the future like that."

"That might not be so terrible," Yusuke replied. "Be careful what you wish for, or it may happen when they reach puberty or something like you."

That comments caused a momentary bought of bickering before Kuwabara admitted that was true.

At the same time, Kurama returned his attention to his meal, thinking about his children. He really wished that Souta did not have to be burdened with this terrible gift. Of course, the demon admired him for it, but it required his son to accept adult responsibilities he did not fully grasp. It was a challenge handling him. He only hoped that he could alleviate the stress for the child one day.

Now that he had been reassured, he could focus on that.

* * *

When Sophia called up her daughter for a day out, Kaili was all too happy to meet her. It was the weekend and the kids were home from school. The weather was growing chilly, and they needed new winter clothes. Her little sprouts were growing like weeds. She internally chuckled at her metaphor, smiling at the twins as Hana skipped happily pulling her less than enthusiastic brother.

While out and about, the family ran into Yukina and her twins at the mall. Souta and Hana were eager to join Rin and Aisu in the play area. Kaili had pretty much gotten them all they needed, so she had no trouble letting the kids go off for a while. The ice maiden promised to keep an eye out for them. It gave Kaili and her mother some much needed bonding time. They decided to go for a quick lunch.

During lunch, Kaili found herself thinking back on a lot of stuff. She and her mother had had such a strained relationship in the past, after the move most definitely, but even more so when Sebastian had decided to return to the family. No matter how hard they tried, it always seemed impossible that they'd ever bridge the gap. There were many details about her mother that Kaili didn't know and vice versa. Honestly, Kaili was afraid to talk to her mother about certain things. It was something she had talked about in therapy.

Even though her family knew that Shuichi was a demon, they never discussed it. It seemed highly taboo to even broach the subject of the supernatural with anyone besides Chris and hers and Shuichi's group of friends. Kaili's mother had hated everything to do with the supernatural, so Kaili had always hidden her interest and research on the topics. She had even gone so far as to hide the books about ancient spirits and healing.

Really, though, her mother was a psychic. If she and Chris were anything to go by, the powers ran deep in their family. She wondered why her mother never told them before in their life. It only came out when Chris and their father were piecing together her father's memories from his dreams. That's when she admitted, and Kaili had heard it from Chris, never her mother.

"Kaili, is something wrong?" Sophia asked her daughter, a hint of concern in her voice. Kaili blinked and snapped back to reality. "You spaced out for a moment."

A sigh escaped Kaili and she shook her head, raising the menu. "I'm fine, mom," she replied. "Just thinking."

Sophia's expression softened. "What about? Is everything okay at home?"

"Of course," Kaili said a little too eagerly. She realized her mother would never by that. Well, she figured there was no time like the present to get answers to her wondering. "Just…mom, when were you going to tell me you were psychic?" Sophia gawped at the abrupt question. "Chris told me years ago. I know you and dad know about Shuichi. Why haven't you said anything?"

With that other question, Sophia offered her daughter a compassionate smile. "To be honest," she began, "I was waiting for you to come to me. I didn't want to press you to talk about your husband and what he is if you weren't comfortable. As for why I didn't tell you I was a psychic…well, I had my reasons when you kids were growing up to conceal that."

"What kind of reasons?" Kaili challenged. "Because it sounds like you were content to lie by omission. And you used to give me such a hard time about being interested in the supernatural when I was little."

"I knew you and Christopher inherited some of my abilities, and apparently he inherited abilities from your father as well." Kaili grimaced as she thought about that, remembering the uncontrollable anger both her brother and father once felt. "Honestly, the reason I gave you two a hard time about it…you were both actively looking for ghosts and would go off on your own as kids. I wanted to keep you away from it all, but it seemed that, somehow, you were always destined to be a part of it."

Kaili could understand. Truth be told, her husband tried to keep her from it also when they were first together. She had jumped head first into it. The fact that she needed therapy so many years later was telling. It seemed everyone was trying to protect her, but she had been too stubborn to listen. She didn't regret hers and Shuichi's past or knowing of all the missions and such. Maybe, though, she should have stayed back more times than not instead of running headfirst into danger.

"I really love Shuichi," Sophia continued. "I feel he is good for and to you, and yes, I felt that way despite knowing he was a demon. Back when you were both in high school and I first saw him in your room, I'll admit that I was nervous. I had gotten you a silent alarm, in case demons ever went after you, and it went off the second he was there. Your spirit energy oozed off of you, and I knew it was only a matter of time before other demons found you. When I had been that age, demons were drawn to me, too, and I had to handle all of it on my own."

"I didn't know that," Kaili remarked. "But it makes sense. Shuichi did say he was drawn to me and knew other demons would be, too. He decided to be my protector. Of course, I had no idea about any of this at first. We had a rocky start."

"Really?" Sophia questioned, surprised. "But when I found him in your room, you seemed so…"

"Comfortable?" Kaili finished for her. "Honestly, the was probably the first day I felt completely at ease around him. The first time we met, it was a bit awkward after he learned my interests. He got quiet, and I thought he was like all the others that thought me crazy at school. He forcefully insisted he walk me home, and then I had been frustrated and gone out for a walk. I guess a demon followed me home, and I witnessed him kill it. I had been a bit terrified of him after that, but he didn't let it go. Kept pursuing me. The day you saw him was the day after he explained to me who and what he was. He showed up to make sure I was going to school that day. Honestly, mom, I used to skip…a lot."

"You skipped school?" Sophia asked, startled. "When? You were always sick, if I remember correctly, but you never just didn't go to school."

Kaili let out a humorous yet guilty chuckle. "Yeah, no…sorry mom. I probably should have told you a long time ago, but I hated school. I used to fake being sick all the time to get out of it. Once Shuichi and I met, though, he was a bit eager to see me. If we're being honest, I wanted to see him too. He made high school a bit more bearable."

Sophia still looked completely surprised. Kaili honestly couldn't blame her. School was important, and Kaili had done everything to avoid it when she could. Her kids tried to do the same, but her daughter didn't have the best poker face, and Souta only really tried to get out of it when something bothered him. She set a terrible example for them. Her mom probably couldn't believe how bad of a kid and student her daughter had truly been.

Out of nowhere, though, her mother surprised her by laughing. Actually. Laughing.

"Huh…wha…what's so funny?" Kaili asked her, flabbergasted. "Aren't you mad?"

Sophia calmed herself and shook her head to reassure her daughter. "Honestly," she started, "I have to say I'm incredibly relieved."

"Relieved?"

"I always thought that it was your spiritual awareness and abilities making you sick," the woman relayed. Kaili looked at her mother like she was crazy. "I was so worried, especially when it would last over a week. I'm so glad you weren't truly that ill, not like I had been. Any time demons were around the area when I first became aware of my own awareness, I would become so physically ill. It was crippling."

"Are you serious?" Kaili replied, her face turning red from embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had caused her mother to be so worried about her when she did all that. "I…I don't know what to say."

But Sophia didn't expect her to say anything. "It's all right," she assured the woman. "As much as it bothers me that you were purposefully trying to get out of school, I'm just happy to know it was nothing serious." Her eyes then took on a guilty hue, and Kaili wondered what the woman would say. "But even I need to make an apology. I didn't talk to you much, wasn't active enough in yours and Christopher's lives after the move. I had been trying to make the best out of an awful situation. I wanted to get you kids away from your father, and that got me involved in a job where I barely had any time. I never realized that your father would even end up in Japan as well. Either way, I wasn't there when you both needed me most, and I will always be thankful to Shuichi, not only for being there for you, but for giving me my husband and my family back."

Kaili smiled warmly. "Yeah, he's pretty great. I'm surprised you didn't flip out on him, though, knowing what you did when you found him in my room."

"Honestly," Sophia interjected, "I was thrilled when you introduced me to him. I was so happy that my daughter made her first, official friend in Japan. He was so polite, and despite feeling a hint of his demon aura, I never felt suspicious of him. I was just a bit defensive over you when I saw him, but you didn't appear to be in danger. Besides, when you both told me he had arrived and you had invited him in through our front door, I knew he couldn't be all bad. If you invited him, I knew he had to be your friend."

Kaili laughed at that. "Actually, Shuichi hadn't come in through the front door." Sophia looked perplexed over the claim. "He had decided to subtly come in through my window. I hadn't invited him in, but like I said, we were on our way to becoming friends then. Had he come to the front door, I would have invited him in." The mother and daughter shared a laugh. "I'm surprised, though, that it didn't bother you that I had befriended a demon."

"I could sense that his intentions never included hurting my baby girl," Sophia pointed out. "That alone was enough for me."

Kaili was actually happy to hear all of that, and it made her feel better that he mother hadn't shot down the topic of discussion. The young woman had even learned more about her mother and her own spiritual awareness, and it was kind of nice to know that her mother was always silently looking out for her. For once, they felt like less of strangers that shared the same blood. Kaili, although her relationship had improved with the woman over the years, had always been missing that one piece of connection. It was the same for Shuichi and his mother since he continued to keep the truth of his identity a secret. Now, though, Kaili didn't feel like that piece was missing anymore. It was a relief to her.

"Oh look, the food's here."

A smile found it's way to Kaili's lips. _Yeah, this was much better._

* * *

After lunch, Kaili and her mother returned to the play area, and Hana and Souta were begging to have a sleepover at their Uncle Kuwabara's and Auntie Yukina's. They didn't have school the next day, and Yukina didn't seem to mind so Kaili allowed it. Besides, it would be nice to spend some more alone time with Shuichi. She wanted to tell him about her conversation with her mother, how that had gone.

First, though, Kaili went back to her mother's home to help her with her bags. That had been fine. It was before she had left that she ran into someone she really would have rather avoided altogether.

"Kaili…" Sebastian called out, surprised his daughter was there.

The woman froze, not expecting him to have been home from work. She hadn't been alone with the man since the few times she ran into him on Hanging Neck Island. Kaili was still very wary over him, especially since he had his memories back.

"Why don't you stay a few minutes?" he asked softly. "I'd like to talk to you."

Kaili took in a shaky breath. Talking with her mom was one thing, but talking alone with her father was a completely different story. When Kaili's father had shown back up in her life, he came back expecting to be accepted with open arms and no apology. Chris had been his biggest advocate, and he treated his sister terribly because of the way he regarded the man he heroized. Back then, Sebastian hadn't known who Shuichi truly was, despite being in the Black Black Club. It wasn't until the Dark Tournament that he recognized the redhead as he fought.

Unbeknownst to Kaili, Sebastian had been frightened when he learned that Shuichi was, in fact, a demon. Before the tournament, he had never gotten good vibes from the teenager his daughter was hanging around during all of her free time. Then, when he was at the tournament and Kurama was announced as a fighter and he saw his familiar visage, he realized why he always felt so hesitant around the monster. He never trusted Shuichi around his daughter. All that time, however, he had been the crook and Shuichi had been the man with honor. He proved it by sparing Sebastian and giving him a nearly clean slate. He and Shuichi had never talked about what he had done for him and his family, but Sebastian would always be grateful for the second chance to redeem himself.

Of course, he still had to fix his relationship with his daughter. He just had no clue where to start.

"Talk about what?" Kaili clipped, her voice filled with apprehension and hesitation.

Sebastian released a sorrowful sigh before gesturing to a seat on the couch. Kaili looked uncertain, but soon her feet carried her to the place. She was surprised when her father decided to sit in a chair on the opposite side of the room, looking at her with guilt-ridden eyes. "How about we start from the beginning? I know you're upset with me over a great deal, and rightly so. I think it's time I let you say whatever you need to."

Kaili was stunned by his admittance, but she figured this would be a good time to unload all of her past frustrations with her that still bothered her to this day. "Why?" she questioned. "Why did any of it have to happen? Why didn't you just get help and fight for our family to stay together? Why did you get involved with a criminal organization? Why…?"

 _Why did you treat me like a piece of garbage?_

"Those are all fair questions," Sebastian weakly pointed out. "Look, Kaili…the reason I didn't get help was because I didn't know I needed it at the time. I should have. I was going off the deep end, cheating on your mother, and still I thought I was fine. I didn't fight for you kids because I knew your mother would lose custody with her traveling job, and despite me destroying our marriage, I didn't want you anywhere near my girlfriend."

"Why?" Kaili asked again. "Did you not want her to know about us?"

Sebastian rejected that claim with a shake of his head. "No, Kaili. I didn't want you around her because she was no good. Honestly, she was the one who brought me into the Black Black Club." Kaili's breath hitched when her father mentioned that evil and horrendous organization, the one that gambled on her friends' lives. "It was better to keep you away. I was always trying to protect you from it."

"Yeah, okay," Kaili said sardonically after she snorted a laugh. "Then you rooting for us to die was what, fatherly love?"

Sebastian felt a flicker of ire ignite in his heart, but he took a deep breath and snuffed it out. "I admit I deserved that one, but I'm trying, Kaili. I'm trying to tell you what happened. Isn't that what you wanted?"

It was, but Kaili was still so hurt and angry over everything that happened in the past. Even if Shuichi had erased the man's memories and basically gave him a redo, Kaili would always remember the hateful words and actions of the man in front of her. She didn't know if she'd ever truly get over it, despite the family gatherings on holidays.

Curiosity got the better of her, though, so she remained silent and allowed the man to speak.

"I have no excuses, Kaili," Sebastian stated. "I cannot change what I did, and no reason I give can ever redeem me. I know that, and I accept that. But you need to know why I grew so cold towards you. I need you to know it wasn't you."

Kaili wouldn't meet his gaze. She could feel tears prickling at her eyes. Already, she had known that. Shuichi did quite a bit to reassure her of that over the years. Her therapist, too, helped her to come to see that. Still, her father saying it made her feel like the little girl she used to be, always longing for him and hoping she would be enough, hoping she could fix their problems even though she wasn't the cause. It wasn't until she saw him at the Dark Tournament that she had completely given up on that useless endeavor. "I don't want to hear it."

"You need to," Sebastian empathized. He knew this was hard for his daughter, but he needed to get this all out in the open. She shouldn't have to pretend to be fine and like she wasn't haunted by the past. He could see it in the woman's eyes. She couldn't move forward because she was still stuck there. He needed to help any way he could, and unfortunately a big part of the past was his callous treatment towards her and that awful tournament. "Kaili, when I saw you with that demon, knowing what he was…I did believe you to be a traitor. At first, I hoped he had just lied to you, but you had chosen him in spite of knowing what he was. It made me angry, and as you know anger with mine and Chris's ability…it doesn't mix. I didn't handle it well, and then I let the past come to mind and I was just so enraged. What Kurama, did, though…his concoction, it erased all that past anger that balled up in my heart, with myself, with your mother, with you kids, and everyone else. It cleansed me and brought me clarity, especially over the anger towards all of you…the ones who were innocent through it all."

He had expected Kaili to shout and fight back, _hoped_ that she would say anything. Hell, Sebastian would have felt better if Kaili had called him a coward or a bastard or anything. Instead, she was frozen in place with an expression devoid of emotion. She was tense, tightly wound like a bomb ready to explode but something just wouldn't light the fuse. Kaili was hardly responding, even with silent irritation, and he didn't know how else to attempt to help her. "Kaili, what can I do to make things easier?" he asked sincerely. "I've done everything I can think of, and I don't know how else to make it better."

"I know," Kaili whispered sadly. "Dad, I don't know what you can do. No amount of explanations or taking blame can make it go away. I still have nightmares from that time. I haven't been able to get over any of it. And I just don't understand. Even with your abilities causing you to be angry all the time like Chris…how could you find _enjoyment_ in that horrible club, enjoyment in watching my friends be brutalized, forced into that tournament against their will."

Another sigh escaped the man. "To this day, I don't know," Sebastian admitted. "I can tell you how I came to be in the club to begin with, though I know you won't like it."

"Try me," Kaili angrily replied.

"I honestly hated the Black Black Club," Sebastian revealed. "When my girlfriend brought me around them, I learned that they had basically dangled her in front of me just to get me there and give me what they called a 'business proposition.' They told me who they were, what they did…and I was so unbelievably disgusted. I went to hear them out a few times, but the truth of who they were didn't come out until much later. I witnessed such atrocious acts, Kaili…like the type of competitions they gambled on. I was ready to walk…"

"Why didn't you, then?"

The man looked to her sternly, and Kaili could see the same haunted look in her eyes that she saw in the mirror every day. "It was the last time I went. I saw something even more terrible. Worse than anything I have ever seen."

Kaili finally softened a bit, wondering what he could have seen that was more horrid than the Dark Tournament. "What?"

"A man who they had brought on was trying to escape," Sebastian revealed. "He was a young man, and it turned out he was hired as some form of security. This one bastard, Tarukane, he had a young girl as a prisoner. The man was trying to rescue her, and they were caught. Tarukane had him shot down in front of the girl they had captured."

Kaili's blood ran cold when he explained all of this, especially because she knew the story so well after the years of being friends with Yukina. When her father said the name Tarukane, she already knew where his story was headed. She inhaled a shaky breath, prepared to tell her father about what happened. He interjected, continuing with his explanation. "She reminded me of you," Sebastian said, "and I was paralyzed. The other guards took the girl back to where they were keeping her, and she kept begging to be free. She was in hysterics after witnessing the man's death. I…I couldn't even breathe when I heard one of them slap her and screaming at her to shut up. Then, one of the men watching the scene with such sick satisfaction leaned down to whisper in my ear, 'That could be your daughter too, if you don't join us.'

"I didn't know what they wanted from me other than money. I should have said 'no,' but I just couldn't get passed that threat. I accepted their terms, and I hated myself. Then, the more I saw, the easier it became to stomach. By that point, my anger had warped my mind so much, I felt like I didn't exist anymore, not until Shuichi wiped the memories I had." He looked to his daughter and could see that somewhere during his story, she had started to cry. "When they came to me in dream form, it was easier to easier to separate myself from it, but I realize I can't do that for you, Kaili. I'm so sorry."

His daughter didn't respond right away, and Sebastian realized this would probably be the extent of their relationship forever. He's accept it, try to make himself more scarce for holidays maybe. He wouldn't try to push her anymore. He'd let her go.

"Yukina," Kaili spoke up after some time.

"Huh?"

"The girl's name was Yukina," Kaili told him. "She's an ice maiden, and one of my best friends. She's happy and safe with Shuichi's friend, Kuwabara. They have two children who Souta and Hana adore." A smile finally made its way to her face as she assured the man who was staring at her with wide eyes. "She got out and was able to moved passed what was done to her. Maybe, one day, I will too. That's the hope, anyway."

Sebastian finally got over his surprise and his expression matched his daughter's sad grin. A sigh of relief escaped him. "I thought that girl with you looked familiar, but I never could place her. That girl…I always wondered…but, it doesn't matter now, I guess. Are…are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Positive," Kaili reassured, deciding to keep the fact that she was in therapy herself.

This conversation gave her a bit of insight. It didn't excuse the past, but it honestly made the most sense in this whole ordeal. Needless to say, though, she definitely had a lot to talk and write about.

* * *

After having discussions with both her mother and father, Kaili decided to go and visit her brother at work. She got to his office building, finding him and, surprisingly, Mitari, outside. The latter was stunned into place, just as stunned to see her. Chris, though, waved her over, and Kaili joined the two men.

"Hey, guys," Kaili greeted kindly before looking over the her brother's best friend. "I didn't expect to see you here, Mitari. What brings you by?"

Mitari, after the Sensui fiasco, had gotten into a great high school. He graduated, making it into one of the top schools. There, he decided to become an education major, and after graduating he became a teacher. He wanted to be able to help others who had been like him, suffering as he had. To make up for his past actions, he wanted to prevent something like that from happening again. His students loved him.

"There's this new student," Mitari explained to Kaili, "and he reminds me a great deal of myself when I was that age. I stopped by to consult with your brother to get suggestions on how to help him."

"You're catching me at my late lunch break," Chris stated, grinning at his sister. "I was just seeing Mitari out."

Mitari smiled at his friend and said, "Thanks for meeting with me, today."

"Always."

As Mitari left to head home, he waved to Kaili. "It was good to see you again."

"You also," Kaili replied, waving back. When Mitari was gone, she looked to her brother with warmth in her eyes. Like Mitari, Chris had chosen a job where he could help others like himself. He had gotten a job at the center where he went for anger management. He brought techniques to the table, meditative exercises that Kurama had taught him. Kaili was insanely proud of her brother, and Chris, honestly, felt better about and proud of himself too.

"So, you usually call when you're thinking of a social visit," Chris stated. "I take it somethings going on. How has talking with Dr. Mori been?"

"You able to walk and talk?" Kaili asked. "I don't want you missing out on your break by dealing with me."

"Yeah, sure," Chris told her. "Why don't we walk to the harbor district. They have this great ice cream cart."

"Sounds great, actually."

So, the two siblings made their way to the cart, and Chris bought Kaili her cone. The two sat in silence, Chris surprised by his sister's earlier statement as they approached the cart.

" _I spoke to our dad, today…"_

It led Kaili to tell Chris about everything the man said. Of course, he had already known about the girlfriend thing, but he didn't know about what sealed the deal. To hear that his sister's friend had been the deciding factor was just so disturbing. "Damn, that's messed up," Chris cursed, eventually responding.

Kaili nodded, becoming lost in thought. "That had to be when we were in middle school. Back then, Hiei was still searching for her. That's when he met Shuichi."

"It's just all so wrong," Chris stated again, his eyes distant as he thought back to all the crazy stuff they had witnessed. His mind even went to that Chapter Black thing, something he found himself talking to Dr. Mori about more often than not. He remembered something his therapist told him in that moment. "Hey, let's talk about something a bit more lighthearted." Kaili smiled weakly and nodded when he made the suggestion. "The kids are good?"

"For the most part," Kaili said, sidestepping the fact that they were both struggling with premonitions. "They're actually at Yukina's and Kuwabara's now for a sleepover with Rin and Aisu."

"That's cute," Chris replied, grinning. "Well, at least they get to have some good, innocent fun."

Kaili laughed. "I honestly feel bad because when those four are together, it's anything but innocent. They like to get into everything." A more peaceful silence washed over them when Kaili remembered something else. "Oh, hey, I forgot to tell you. J is coming to Japan soon for a visit."

Chris's eyes widened, and he looked completely bewildered before saying, "J, huh? You haven't spoken of her in such a long time. I thought she was on world tour with her family."

"That was years ago, Chris," Kaili told him. "But I get what you mean. It's been a while. So much has been going on over the years, that I kind of lost touch with her. Anyway, she's going to be arriving any day now. Would you want to take me to the airport when she comes?"

"I'd be happy to," Chris stated. "After all, J was one of my friends too."

Kaili couldn't deny that. Honestly, when she and Chris were kids, they had met J together, and the three of them got into just as much trouble as her kids did with their best friends. As they got older, Chris had distanced himself, but mainly because he didn't want to deal with the two girls on a regular basis. They were really young then, and Chris had become a preteen while they were still within their first ten years. Then, Kaili and Chris had moved, and Kaili only kept in touch with J over e-mail. Chris hadn't had any interaction with the girl since their childhood.

But everything was different now. They were all adults, and she and Chris had seen some major stuff. It would be nice to have a little clean nostalgia from a time where their lives weren't the most messed up. Kaili couldn't wait for her friend to visit. She was certain this would be a time in their life they wouldn't soon forget.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters, just OCs!**

 **Hey, all! I'm back with another chapter and some even more news. In addition to a Discord channel, I've also started a Tumblr page. If you enjoy my work, please consider following me there as well to offer support. You can even ask me questions about my work! ^_^**

* * *

Kurama was not a fan of lavish affairs. He found it ironic considering he was once a thief of valuable treasures, dreaming to one day rule Demon World. He figured, in his old age, that he had become complacent to live a simple life with his family. Besides, building his relationship with Kaili and their children held a different kind of excitement, one that brought bliss instead of pain. His excursions with Yusuke and Kuwabara kept him in the action, so he didn't truly turn away from who he was beneath the surface.

Still, these work galas Hatanaka held at his corporation were too over the top. There were so many people packed into a large ballroom. It was a grandiose affair. As much as he enjoyed the food, the crowd was the one thing Kurama detested. He could hardly see who was there.

Kaili hated these events as much as he did, but she always attended with him, dressing up for the part of a vice president's wife. She was absolutely gorgeous and probably the one thing that kept the demon centered through it all. His eyes caught her making her way through the crowd with two drinks in her hand, managing to avoid those who were not paying attention who nearly bumped her. Kurama chuckled as she reached him, breathless.

"Your dad went _crazy_ this year," Kaili exaggerated. "I swear, there had to be like a hundred and fifty people at the bar."

"That's an oddly specific number," Kurama stated before Kaili held a piece of paper in his face that read "151." "Ah. That explains why you were gone so long."

Kaili nodded before sipping on her drink. She leaned back against the wall as he was currently doing. "How are you holding up? I know you don't like being in such an enclosed space with so many people." He eyed her strangely with surprise. "What? I notice."

"Ah, Shuichi," Kazuya called out, making his way over to him with two figures in tow. "There you are."

Kurama and Kaili both sweat-dropped. If the man had been looking for him, they couldn't imagine how long he had been searching this horde. _Yeah, this has got to be over the fire capacity code,_ Kaili thought to herself.

"I wanted to introduce you to one of our newest business partners," Hatanaka told them. "Mr. Amanuma, this is my stepson, Shuichi, and his wife, Kaili."

Kurama's eyes widened, his mind firing off, _Don't tell me._

Both Kurama and Kaili froze when they heard the name especially when a familiar face appeared from behind the man Hatanaka was introducing. The boy recognized them too, or at least Kurama. He had this fearful glint to his eyes as he looked up to his father. "And this is my son, Tsukihito. I thought he might like to join us today, get him out of the house. He used to be a bit of an introvert with his games or whatever."

"Dad," the boy murmured quietly, in warning. "Not here."

"Fine, fine," the father replied. He looked to Shuichi and grinned not knowing that the redhead had once allowed his son to die. "Kazuya has told me great things about you. I'm surprised someone so young has been able to accomplish so much."

The redhead managed to force a smile, his emerald eyes cutting over to the frozen form of the one he once knew as Gamemaster. "Anyway, we need to catch up. Shuichi, would you mind showing Tsukihito around for a bit. He'll be spending quite a bit of time with us here this summer."

"Of course," Kurama replied. Of course, in his mind, he was thinking something more along the lines of _kill me now,_ but that was too much of an exaggeration on his part. Still, Kaili noticed a glint of displeasure in her mate's eyes.

When the men left, she asked, "Are you okay?" She was _not_ going to leave him alone if he wasn't okay with this.

"We are fine," he replied a bit too hastily. "He and I need to talk, anyway."

To be honest, Kurama still found himself plagued by nightmares, occasionally, but he remembered a time where nightmares of this boy's death haunted him. The challenge Sensui had posed had been horrible, and it was downright deplorable that the human had convinced a boy to enact it. Part of him felt he needed to talk to this boy, to make sure that he adjusted. By his reaction, Kurama could tell that he too was still tormented by the terror. It concerned Kurama. He was just a child, like his own son at home.

Amanuma was wary, but he bit the bullet and nodded. After all, he was probably going to see the red-haired demon again in the near future. The two walked away from the woman, Kaili watching them get lost in the crowd.

The teenager was actually very surprised when the demon took him outside.

Kurama took a deep breath before weakly smiling over at the boy. "Sorry," he replied, "but it was a bit stuffy in there. Too many people."

 _You mean too many witnesses,_ the boy thought to himself, but he didn't dare voice it.

Noticing his silence, Kurama looked out towards the street. "You're looking well," he said. "Staying out of trouble, I hope."

"Yeah," Amanuma replied, looking down to the ground. Kurama observed his stiff form. "I never thought I'd see _you_ again."

"Neither did I," Kurama responded. "But I'm glad I did." Amanuma looked to him, his gaze ever distrustful and skeptical. The demon's expression softened. "I want you to know that not a day has gone by where I haven't thought about you or what I did. I wish I could say that I wouldn't do it again, but my options had been limited. I never really wanted to hurt you, and I have struggled with my regret all these years. I am sorry."

Amanuma hesitated, but he nodded in understanding. "I know, and it's okay. I don't really blame you. It was my stupidity that got me into that situation." He grimaced as he thought back to how much he was willing to do to please Sensui and get out of school for a little bit. He really was such an obnoxious child.

"You were young and foolish, but not stupid," Kurama said in response, earning the teenagers attention. "Youth is reckless. Even I was fairly reckless when I was a pup. But you should know that you were a very intelligent child, even if you used that knowledge towards your gaming. I can see bright things ahead for you."

The boy blushed at the compliment and looked away. "At least someone does."

Hearing his words, Kurama could already sense the lifestyle this boy led. Being part of the business world, Kurama had seen many neglect their families and children, not finding a balance. It made him wonder if the reason Amanuma fell into Sensui's lap was the longing for adult companionship he was not getting from his own father and possibly mother, if she were in the picture that is. "Have you decided what you want to do with your second chance at life?"

A nod was his answer, but Amanuma still looked fairly downtrodden. "I want to be a game designer," he told him before he looked a bit panicked. "But not like the games I played before…a plot where no one has to die in the end."

"I can understand that notion," Kurama replied. "Going to school for it?"

"Yeah," Amanuma answered. "But my father thinks it's a waste of time. He wants me to focus on business and do things his way."

Kurama flashed him an understanding smile. "All that matters is what _you_ want. He will never understand what you endured, even if you tell him. Either way, stand up for yourself. I'm sure he'll respect you more in the end."

"Maybe," the teen chuckled.

After another moment of silence, Kurama felt compelled to apologize once again. "I really am sorry for what happened back then."

Amanuma smiled bittersweetly. His eyes closed as he shook his head. "Don't be. I was a brat, then. Despite what happened, it woke me up to what was really important."

The boy walked away, and Kurama watching him with a more contented expression. Kaili happened to come outside in that moment, Amanuma waving to her as he went back into the madhouse that was the office building. She joined her husband and took his hand. "So…how did it go?"

"Well," Kurama assured her. "He's grown up into his own man, though he is still fighting some of his own personal demons."

Kaili nodded and was about to ask something else when Hatanaka stuck his head out the door calling them back in for dinner and the speeches. They still had a long night ahead of them.

* * *

The following Monday finally came, and Souta was not feeling school. His work was too easy for his more matured mind. He didn't think he could spend any more time answering the same multiplication and division questions. He looked over to his sister to see her still working diligently. Her brow was furrowed in concentration.

All of a sudden, this overwhelming sense of dread washed over the boy, and he tried to keep himself from shaking.

Souta huffed and raised his hand. The teacher noticed him right away. "Yes, Souta. Do you have a question?"

"May I go to the bathroom?" he asked politely.

The woman smiled at him and nodded, so Souta left the room. Hana looked up from her work and watched her brother before she shrugged it off and continued answering the question. Why couldn't she remember seven times eight, again?

Souta was relieved once he was outside his classroom. The whole school was quiet, all the students in their classes. It was the perfect time to get the heck out of there. He had to be careful, though. As easy as it would be, he couldn't leave through the front door.

After a moment of searching, Souta found a hidden side door, away from the prying eyes of the classrooms. He covertly slipped out undetected in a way that would normally make the legendary fox bandit proud. The child knew, though, that his father would not be pleased should he find out about this. Despite this knowledge, Souta went to the one place where he felt content.

That is why Shiori found her grandson sitting under the big cherry blossom tree outside the house.

Given the talk she had with her son the other day, Shiori was not surprised to find one of the kids skipping school. She was impressed that he had gotten across the city all by himself. He most likely hoped she wouldn't be home. Shiori smiled sadly and made her presence known.

A flicker of guilt flashed over the nine-year-old's eyes. "Hi, gramma," he greeted monotonously.

Shiori took a seat beside the boy and very patiently asked, "What's troubling you?" Souta's eyes widened over her perceptiveness, causing the woman to giggle. "You look like your father when I ask that?"

Souta's expression softened. Then, the wave passed over him again, and he clenched his eyes shut, shaking his head vigorously from side to side. "It's nothing," he lied. "Don't worry about it."

He reminded her so much of Shuichi when he was a boy. Her heart ached for the child, wishing she could somehow reach him where she couldn't his father. The fact that her son had expressed his concerns to her not too long ago showed her that the man was at a loss. Maybe there was some sort of barrier between the two like there had always seemed to be between her and Shuichi.

"You know, you remind me of your father when he was a boy," Shiori admitted to him, causing Souta's eyes to widen. "He was very quiet and liked to handle things on his own, even to his own detriment. There were times he'd try to get something on his own that was too far out of reach without asking for help. After some time, he stopped. He could have really been hurt. Even then, he still had difficulty letting me in. It wasn't until your mother was pregnant that he started to confide in me."

"Really?" Souta breathed out. "I…didn't know that about dad."

Shiori smiled sadly and nodded. "Your father is very complicated. I don't understand myself how that happened." Souta did, but he refrained from speaking. "I could tell, though, that he loved me very much. Anytime I was injured or sick, he was always there trying to make sure I didn't exert myself, as if he felt personal responsibility for what I was feeling. We've come a long way since then, but there's still a lot I don't know about my son."

Souta nodded, feeling exactly the same way. There was a lot about his father he didn't know, and something just felt off ever since he had his visions and nightmares. He kept feeling his father, or something similar to him, and he didn't understand. It made him more timid. The fact that his dad wouldn't answer his questions directly worried Souta immensely. He didn't like feeling this way.

His eyes went back to the tree in the yard, and the mother smiled fondly. Souta had inherited his father's love of plants. They somehow brought them peace. "Shuichi used to climb this tree a lot as a boy," she continued. Shiori looked down at her grandson, hoping that maybe telling him about his father would help bridge the gap. Maybe something would hit the young child and bring him to either confide in Shuichi or question him. She was certain her son would be fine with an open dialogue. "He was very upset when we had to move from here. After my first husband passed on, I struggled to maintain the household, and as a young boy, around your age, we had to move somewhere else in town and sublet a house for a little bit."

"When did you move back?" Souta asked, his curiosity coming out. Shiori internally beamed, thankful that the boy was coming out of his shell a little bit.

"Sometime after I started dating Kazuya," the woman told him. "I had gotten sick, and Kazuya was worried. I had told him I once lived here when we were driving by before the worst of my illness, and he offered to help me get it back. It was closer to the doctor and your father's school. I didn't want him to do that for me, but he insisted. We had only started dating, but he wanted to make sure that your father and I were okay and in a stable home while I went through treatment."

Souta's expression darkened as he thought about his grandmother being sick. He wondered why his dad never told him, and he wondered if that was why she was telling him about it as if he knew. He decided not to ask about it, instead settling for, "I'm glad you got better."

Shiori ruffled the boy's hair fondly, kissing the top of his head. "Let me go get you a snack. I'll be right back out."

"Okay," Souta agreed with a nod, looking back to the tree outside, a pensive look on his face.

Once inside, Shiori went to make a call. "Hello, Shuichi, I hope I'm not interrupting something important." The woman smiled when her son assured her she wasn't even though she knew he had an upcoming meeting. "I wanted to let you know that Souta showed up here. He left school. Do you want me to take him home?"

It didn't surprise her when her son said he would come to get him.

* * *

Kurama arrived at his old home about a half hour after his mother called him. When she told him that Souta was there, he didn't even care that he was walking out on a meeting. The only thing that registered was that his son left school without permission or telling anyone. Anything could have happened to him, even with his abilities and his training.

He found his mother and son on the lawn, and he could hear from a distance that she was telling the boy stories about him as a child. Souta actually seemed to enjoy hearing about his father, and that left a huge pit of guilt in the middle of his stomach. The boy's disposition seemed so different as of late, jovial and content. Kurama realized then that he had to do something, anything, or he could very well end up losing his son for good.

So, in spite of the heaviness of the situation and the fact that he probably should have scolded the boy, Kurama walked up and joined them, indulging his son in stories of his second childhood.

After a couple of hours, the two were walking home. A heavy silence shrouded the father and son pair now that they were away from Shiori. Souta was most likely awaiting some for of punishment. It didn't come. Instead, Kurama took his child to the park, just to walk and sit somewhere in the nature they both enjoyed. He realized something while telling Souta about his childhood, something important. His son lit up the more he got to know him, something that Kurama was always reluctant to allow people to do.

His son needed to be above others.

Souta remained very quiet, so Kurama took the direct approach. "Why did you skip school?"

The boy's shoulders hunched now that the main issue was out in the open. He looked to his father with guilt-ridden eyes. "I had that premonition again," he admitted. "I still don't understand it."

"Nothing is going to happened," Kurama reassured, sounding incredibly certain. Souta looked down to the ground and frowned. "What's on your mind?"

"What makes you so certain that nothing's gonna happen?"

Kurama didn't want to tell him about Hiei's task or his deceased twin brother. Instead, he said, "I had some inklings and had your Uncle Hiei look into them. They fell through. I truly believe you're still being haunted by the tournament. We will keep an eye out like last time."

"If that's the case, I'm worried about what will happen to Human World!" Souta declared, feeling immensely upset. He tried to reign in his emotions, but struggled.

Kurama put his hand on the boy's shoulder, making him freeze, green eyes widening as they looked up to his father. "No matter what," Kurama promised, "I will do everything in my power to protect my family. All of you."

His voice had grown cold, his eyes flashing gold, and Souta noticed. "Can…can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"What was your life like before, as Youko?" Kurama's eyes returned to normal, and he flinched in shock. "Was it scary?"

Kurama's expression softened before he grew serious. "Why do you want to know?" he asked.

Souta shrugged. "Because if you can handle that stuff, shouldn't I?"

In a show of affection, Kurama surprised the boy by pulling him onto his lap. He held him tightly, hugging him close. Souta was in shock by his father's strangely emotional action, his emerald eyes widening and blinking in surprise. "We lived two different childhoods, Souta," he explained. "Yours was one of comfort, and mine was one of pain. I know that me not discussing my life before has caused you to distrust me, but it is not as if I do not want you to know any of it." Souta tilted his head slightly to look into his father's eyes. "I would just prefer you get to hold onto your childhood a little longer. I am…open to questions, but if you ask, I'm reserving the right not to give you an answer. However, once you're older, some of it, I will tell you."

Souta was surprised by his father's words. "Was it that obvious?" the boy questioned. It's not like he wanted to be distrustful of his father. He was always kind and loving. There was just always this barrier there that Souta couldn't ignore. It seemed his dad felt it, too, and he was extending an olive branch of sorts.

Kurama nodded, his eyes full of an emotion Souta couldn't quite grasp at his age. "I want you to trust me, son. There is just much about my past that you will not be ready to hear. For the longest time, I was not a good man. I was a thief and a killer, as most demons were and some still are. I even betrayed a friend once in a brutal way. I cannot begin toe describe how Demon World used to be to you. It has changed drastically, in part because of Yusuke's idea nine years ago, the same idea that ended the war before it had even begun."

Souta closed his eyes and nodded his head. "I remember feeling Hana's energy. She felt at ease then, and that's when I stopped hiding us."

Kurama laughed lightheartedly saying, "It never ceased to amaze me how aware you truly were in there."

Souta frowned and said, "Mama felt really bad not telling you."

"I know," Kurama replied, remembering how guilty Kaili had felt towards keeping her pregnancy in the dark. He remembered when she finally told him, how his mother had been the one to figure it out. He had already suspected, but Kaili was trying to keep it to herself so he wouldn't be torn. "But that is the past. As for your questions, is there anything you want to ask me while we're on the subject?" The boy answered with a nod of his head. "What is it?"

"You said your childhood was full of pain," the child observed. "Why?"

Kurama sighed and then took a deep breath. "I did not know my mother like I knew Shiori. She died when I was just a cub. My father and I weren't close. Honestly, I wasn't close with any of the other spirit foxes, either. Silver was considered like white in the animal kingdom, though in my case I was feared rather than shunned. They assumed I'd be ruthless."

Sidestepping the fact that he had a twin, Kurama told his son more about his father. "He would brutalize me as a boy, and the seeds of hatred formed in my heart." He shook his head and looked into his son's widened and saddened green eyes. "I despised him, and when I left I never looked back. I never trusted him either, and I promised myself that if I ever had a son, I would not let that happen."

Souta's moue cut Kurama deeply, especially when the child said, "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Kurama questioned, confused by the abrupt apology.

"I didn't mean to seem distrustful," Souta murmured. "I'm just scared. I wish I didn't have these premonitions. Hana feels stuff too, but not like I do. I only sense the scary stuff. Sometimes, I wake up at night and just shake in bed."

Immense worry was what Kurama felt, and it filled his normally calm eyes. "Why didn't you come to us?" But he already knew the answer. Both Souta and his mother seemed to have the same issue of not wanting to trouble him when it came to their emotions.

"I was trying to handle it on my own and be brave," Souta admitted, his voice low and full of shame.

"You are brave," Kurama praised him. "You don't have to wallow in your fear. You can always come to me or your mother, and if you wake up like that again, you can come to us, too. We're your parents. We don't want you to suffer alone."

Again, Souta nodded, and then he leaned back against his father's chest. "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

"Yes," Kurama replied, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. "But, for today, we can do whatever you'd like."

Souta seemed surprised by this. "I'm not grounded?"

"That is up to your mother," Kurama decided. "You should not have left school on your own. Despite your powers and the relative peace, it is not safe to roam around the city unaccompanied." Souta deflated somewhat, and Kurama's grip tightened on him in reassurance. "Still, I know you've been feeling trapped, and I know that feeling very well. I won't make it harder for you."

"Dad?" The father/son pair exchanged glances, and Kurama noticed that the boy felt so ashamed. "I'm sorry I worried you."

Kurama offered him a smile and rubbed his arms. "It comes with the territory of being a parent. I care about you and your sister very much and, no matter what, I will always worry."

The two ended up walking home together, Souta holding his father's hand the whole way. Unfortunately for them, they didn't notice the energy of another demon. _My master will definitely find this interesting,_ it thought as it retreated to the demon realm.


End file.
